Esophageal Probe

Accessories and Consumables

Esophageal Probe

The MBMed BA-A-008 (non-latex) probe is usually used to measure the pressure inside the esophagus. Monitoring esophageal pressure is used to estimate pleural pressure during respiratory monitoring. However, the accuracy of estimated pleural pressure based on esophageal pressure monitoring depends on the proper positioning of the catheter during clinical practice, and also on the mechanical characteristics of the catheter itself.


It has been previously shown that inflation volume of these catheters modify their performance and knowing the mechanical characteristics of the catheters can help clinicians to use them properly to obtain more accurate measurements of surrounding pressures [1],[2].


Technical Characteristics:

Static Response

For a pressure manometry probe static response is the ability to measure the surrounding constant pressure.

The probe was placed in a chamber that is pressurized at different pressure levels and the balloon was inflated at different filling volumes replicating the work previously published by Mojoli et al. on other probes with different mechanical characteristics [1].

Static response of the balloon. Measurement at different levels of pressurization of the chamber with different volumes injected in the balloon. Vertical marks delimit the range of insufflation with an acceptable accuracy in all pressure levels.


The measurement of the balloon has an acceptable accuracy in all levels of pressurization with filling volumes between 1ml and 15ml.


For comparison with other commercially available esophageal pressure probes see Mojoli and collaborators work [1]. This manometry balloon has more than double working range of volume injection compared to other commercial probes.


Dynamic Response

For a pressure manometry probe, the static response is the ability to measure change in surrounding pressure.


The probe was placed in a pressurized container while connected to a pressure transducer. The direct measure of the pressure in the container was obtained simultaneously. A fast depressurization of the container was performed up to 0 cmH2O. The experiment was performed, replicating the methodology described by Cross et al [2]. Two pressure measurement probes where compared, MBMed BA-A-008 and another commercially available probe.

Pressure measurement response to a step change of pressure for both probes at three different levels of pressurization.



The dynamic response of MBMed BA-A-008 probe is 7 times faster compared to the other commercially available probe.


References:
[1] F. Mojoli et al. , “Esophageal pressure measurements under different conditions of intrathoracic pressure. An in vitro study of second generation balloon catheters.,” Minerva Anestesiol. , vol. 81, no. 8, pp. 855–64, Aug. 2015.
[2] T. J. Cross, S. Lalande, R. E. Hyatt, and B. D. Johnson, “Response characteristics of esophageal balloon catheters handmade using latex and nonlatex materials.,” Physiol. Rep. , vol. 3, no. 6, p. e12426, Jun. 2015.

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