SAN ANTONIO, TX. – December 8, 2022 – Frost & Sullivan recently assessed the neonatal care industry and, based on its analysis, recognizes the SonarMed™ airway monitoring system from Medtronic with the 2022 North America New Product Innovation Award. The SonarMed™ airway monitoring system is a unique technology intended to help reduce unplanned extubations (UE) during mechanical ventilation in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The airway monitoring system allows for precise endotracheal tube (ETT) monitoring at the patient’s bedside to prevent UE, a vital safety concern in the NICU. The system supports real-time ETT position and patency visualization.
The SonarMed™ system enables accurate troubleshooting through timely alerts and precise measurements to handle a potentially critical event (tube movement or occlusion) and reduce UEs. The system detects ETT tip movement and direction and alerts the physicians about potential ETT migration through custom and individualized alarms. The monitor displays the exact location and severity of ETT blockage, enabling optimized suctioning and secretion removal based on patient need. The SonarMed™ system also provides real-time feedback if the removal efforts are successful. It provides clinicians with an early warning of potential airway obstruction during ventilation for early intervention. At the same time, an easy-to-read monitor flashes instant ETT fluctuations and monitors the dislodged tube’s repositioning.
Supriya Lala Kundu, a Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Research Analyst, noted, “SonarMed™ technology analyzes the time, distance, and intensity of echoes to determine ETT position, movement, and patency during ventilation, sending immediate sound alerts if abnormal.”
“The SonarMed™ system has revolutionized the way we care for our littlest patients. There is no other device in the world that can tell you where the endotracheal tube is located within the airway continuously in real time, and whether the tube is obstructed or even partially occluded,” said Jamie W. Powers, M.D., MBA, neonatologist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, California. “At our hospital, this information has led to a drastic reduction in the number of x-rays performed and marked improvement in the effective suctioning of the airway. It also provides the care team and parents the added reassurance that the breathing tube is where it needs to be while repositioning the patient and during kangaroo care. In our institution it has become the new standard of care for all intubated infants.”
The SonarMed™ system applies a non-invasive approach, heightens care, and limits radiation exposure from daily chest X-rays. It is the only solution to leverage acoustic reflectometry technology. The system-enabled real-time, continuous remote airway monitoring avoids physically checking on the patients. This eliminates sleep disturbance, which is vital for neonatal development. Simultaneously, it relays timely critical information to the care staff, lowering undue clinical interventions. The system also enhances the standard of care through timely alerts that promote skin-to-skin contact, which was established as the most suitable healing environment for newborns. The technology seamlessly integrates with existing clinical workflow without causing operational disruptions and not requiring advanced user training, benefiting patients, caregivers, and staff while providing a unique competitive advantage.
“The SonarMed™ system’s potential to reduce UE significantly will improve infant care outcomes, lower healthcare costs and length-of-stay, and lessen infants’ exposure to radiation from periodic X-rays,” added Utkarsha Soundankar, Senior Research Analyst for Frost & Sullivan. For its strong overall performance, Medtronic earns Frost & Sullivan’s 2022 North America New Product Innovation Award in the neonatal care industry.
“The SonarMed™ monitor is one of several ways we are innovating for the NICU. As a trusted neonatal respiratory partner, we offer a comprehensive portfolio with confidence-inspired monitoring, specialized invasive and non-invasive ventilation, and cutting edge intubation management to serve our smallest patients,” stated Quan Golomb, Sr. Director of Marketing for Respiratory Interventions at Medtronic.
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that develops an innovative element in a product by leveraging leading-edge technologies. The award recognizes the value-added features/benefits of the product and the increased return on investment (ROI) it gives customers, which, in turn, raises customer acquisition and overall market penetration potential.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.
About SonarMed™ Airway Monitoring System
