Ultrasound for the Heart / Powerful Breakthrough Introduced by Arrow International Lowers Anesthesia Risks

Reading, Pa. (PROTEXT) - Patients at risk under anesthesia can significantly lower their chances of developing extensive complications with the help of a new application of ultrasound. Called the HemoSonic(TM) 100, this noninvasive, powerful tool probes the body's main artery without touching it. The HemoSonic(TM) 100 was the subject of two presentations today at the 1999 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Convention, Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, TX. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990928/PHTU014 ) Ultrasound for the heart Using beams of high-frequency sound waves much like a submarine's sonar system, a monitoring system from Arrow International targets the body's biggest artery, the aorta, without ever touching it, tipping doctors off to potential heart and stroke-related occurrences in non-cardiac surgery or intensive care. The system makes its "home base" inside the patient's food passageway, the esophagus, where a small probe using ultrasound surveys the adjacent aorta to help calculate blood flow in real- time. With this knowledge in hand, anesthesiologists, internists and cardiologists can precisely interpret changes in blood flow, as well as the heart's ability to pump blood including resistances to blood flow and left ventricular performance -- then administer the appropriate follow-up therapy. Jean-Luc Boulnois, co-developer of the HemoSonic(TM) 100 (initially invented at Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM) states, "Doctors liken the powerful tool to an early warning device that can detect tissue or blood flow abnormalities immediately as they occur a priceless benefit for patients who develop problems during surgery that are sometimes brought on by the effects of anesthesia." In Europe and Japan, the technique has been used successfully in more than 6,000 patients. Arrow International is a worldwide manufacturer and marketer of innovative, clinically advanced, cost-effective medical devices and other health care products used in critical care and cardiac care procedures. Its primary focus is to provide innovative solutions for medical professionals in the areas of cardiac care, critical care and implantable devices. For further information on the HemoSonic(TM) 100 and innovative medical product technologies, contact Zane Szurgot, R.N., M.S.N., Arrow International, 800-233-3187 or 610-378-0131. ots Original Text Service: Arrow International Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: Zane Szurgot of Arrow International, 800-233-3187, or 610-378-0131, or Trish Doll of Publicity Works, 717-445-6377, for Arrow International Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990928/PHTU014 PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 201-369-3467 Video: http://www.videonewswire.com/play?video=1999100811 Web site: http://www.arrowintl.com Subscribers please note that material bearing the slug "PROTEXT" is not part of CTK's news service and is not to be published under the "CTK" slug. Protext is a commercial service providing distribution of press releases from clients, who are identified in the text of Protext reports and who bear full responsibility for their contents. PROTEXT