Each year, approximately 350,000 people in the U.S. die from cardiac arrest. Resuscitation rates remain less than 1% in many communities. Critical care specialists at the Post Resuscitative and Initial Utility in Life Saving Efforts (PULSE) conference determined that the research and practice of resuscitation medicine would be aided by a diagnostic device that provides real-time data on the effect of therapeutic interventions on myocardial status. The Minimally Invasive Cardiac Oxygenation Monitor (MICOM) is designed to provide real-time data on myocardial oxygenation using minimally invasive technology that can deliver valuable clinical information in emergency situations, as well as in institutional critical care settings. MICOM incorporates the proven technologies - ultrasound and near-infrared spectroscopy - to support accurate readings of tissue oxygenation at the myocardium. MICOM is designed to improve outcomes by directing therapy and evaluating efficacy of resuscitative technologies. The equipment will be designed so that it can ultimately be used by EMTs in the field with minimal training. RBDC anticipates that MICOM will evolve into a diagnostic platform to improve outcomes by providing a wide range of quantitative information for diagnosis and treatment.
