May 17 2011
GENTAG, Inc., Third Technology Capital Investors, and The CORE Institute are pleased to announce the first fully integrated medical grade wireless monitoring kit for post-surgery applications compatible with the new generation of Near Field Communications (NFC) cell phones. The kit allows patients to self-monitor for excessive swelling in the surgery area or inside casts with their cell phones after hospital discharge (compartment syndrome monitoring).
Significant post-operative orthopedics costs savings and improved outcomes for patients are expected.
The technology is based on an ultra-linear NFC-MEMS hybrid chip with 1mm mercury (Hg) precision and 0.1 C temperature accuracy developed during the past year by GENTAG and its partners under the specifications and medical guidance of a team of US orthopedics surgeons, lead by Dr. David Jacofsky and Dr. Roy Sanders, Chairman of The CORE Institute and President of Florida Orthopedic Institute respectively. The combined effort has created a completely new, minimally invasive, low cost way to measure in situ pressure and temperature in surgery areas, minimizing length of stay and decreasing complications through earlier diagnosis. The technology is covered under worldwide issued and pending patents.
Applications include compartment syndrome monitoring, post orthopedics surgery monitoring, back pressure and bed sores monitoring, and monitoring for excessive pressure in casts. Other medical applications are under development.
The technology is available for limited post orthopedics surgery trials. Commercial production is expected in 2012, starting first with pressure monitoring in casts. The technology will be fully compatible with Google, BlackBerry, Nokia, Samsung and other brand NFC cell phones integrating the NFC chip and can also be bundled with low cost custom NFC cell phones (e.g. GENTAG's GT-601) as low cost hospital discharge wireless monitoring kits. FDA approval will be required for some applications.
SOURCE GENTAG, Inc.