Core-Temperature Problem

Vital sign monitoring is essential for critically ill patients and those undergoing anesthesia for surgical procedures. It is never more critical than during surgical procedures when body cooling and rewarming is required such as is done during major cardiovascular procedures. Maintaining patient temperature during surgical procedures within the normal range diminishes blood loss during surgery, surgical recovery and duration of hospital stays. Patients whose temperature falls below the normal range triple their risks of surgical wound infections and cardiac morbidities.

Temperature measurements currently measure surface temperature or require invasive placement of temperature probes.

Core-Temerature Solution

Thermimage’s new medical device, the AccuTemp Sensor, non-invasively measures core body temperature in critically ill patients or surgical patients. Placing the sensor over an internal organ such as the brain, liver or kidney allows the antenna to receive tiny amounts of emitted energy from the organs which varies reliably and reproducibly with the core body temperature giving a direct core body temperature readout. For the first time brain, liver or kidney temperature can be monitored real time. The value of this new breakthrough technology will be seen in operating rooms and ICU throughout the world when careful monitoring is required. Physicians will soon be able to make treatment changes early and as often as the circumstances warrant enabling improved patient outcomes.

A Childhood Problem

Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) is a condition in which bladder urine flows back up into the ureters and into the kidneys, exposing the kidneys to infection. Globally, VUR occurs in more than ten million children under five and can cause irreparable kidney damage if untreated. Untreated VUR can lead to severe kidney scarring, stunted kidney growth, kidney atrophy, and in severe cases, kidney failure requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation. Additionally, untreated VUR can lead to lifelong health conditions such as high blood pressure, renal impairment, renal failure, and complications in pregnancy as an adult. Unfortunately, the current procedures used for detecting VUR are highly invasive and very traumatic for children.

The Solution for Children

Thermimage has developed and patented an alternative to the current diagnosis of VUR. Thermimage’s device will provide a non-invasive, safe, reliable, comfortable and cost effective imaging test for detecting pediatric VUR. The new device will eliminate a majority of the VCUG and nuclear cystogram procedures used to detect VUR, increase the detection rate, reduce the usage of unnecessary antibiotics, and help prevent potentially devastating health consequences later in life.

The Thermaflux Scan™ is a safe, non-traumatic, non-invasive procedure that, unlike current procedures, does not require catheterization or expose the child to harmful radiation or contrast agents to diagnose pediatric VUR. Performed externally, the process warms the bladder contents and monitors the kidney temperatures to reveal if VUR is present. The process also improves patient care by diagnosing VUR at physicians’ offices instead of just at hospitals, significantly expanding the market and eliminating the risk that kidney damage occurs prior to the child being able to be diagnosed at a hospital.