Oregon Health & Science University Background
Following a vascular operation, it is standard practice to evaluate restored blood flow in the affected leg or extremity by Doppler. Current practice typically calls for periodic hourly Doppler assessments, which could delay the detection and treatment of obstructed blood flow. In addition, this protocol is time intensive and prone to human error, as nurses must attempt to gather Doppler measurements at the exact same location at each check over the course of many hours.
Technology Overview
To overcome these limitations, a team of surgeons and researchers at OHSU have developed a device that allows for sustained and continuous monitoring of peripheral blood flow to improve patient care and reduce staff workload.
This simple plastic device has the following features:
Securely attaches a continuous wave Doppler Ultrasound transducer to limbs and extremities.
Designed by vascular surgeons to continuously measure post-op blood flow in vascular surgery sites.
Device is comfortable, durable, and maintains accurate placement of the transducer for several days.
Using the device may reduce the workload on the nursing and surgical teams, and improve their ability to detect issues in the surgical site.
Benefits
Simplifies the procedure and time required for post‑surgical doppler monitoring.
Opportunity
This technology is available for licensing.