Mirador Biomedical Inc.

Article preview from Start-Up - September, 2013

During insertion of central venous catheters, physicians may unintentionally advance into an artery rather than the desired vein, an error that can cause serious complications, even death. Mirador Biomedical Inc. aims to improve the safety of central venous access with its Compass platform, battery-powered, pressure-measurement devices that can rapidly detect the difference in pressures between arteries and veins.

Mirador Biomedical Inc.

Article preview from Start-Up - September, 2013

A central venous catheter (CVC, also known as a central line) is used frequently in critical care to administer fluids or blood, to rapidly deliver drugs or nutrients, or to perform dialysis in diabetics. However, during insertion of a CVC line, a physician may unintentionally advance into an artery rather than the desired vein. Although this error (inadvertent cannulation) occurs in only 0.5% to 1% of cases, it can result in complications such as stroke, severe bleeding, and even death.

Mirador Biomedical Inc. aims to improve the safety of central venous access with its Compass platform, battery-powered, pressure-measurement devices that can rapidly detect the difference in pressures between arteries and veins.

The company’s flagship product, Compass Vascular Access, connects between a finder needle for puncturing the vessel and a syringe for withdrawing blood post-puncture to provide an immediate indication of whether or not the needle tip has punctured an artery or a vein by measuring the blood pressure. If the vein is punctured, the device’s LCD will display a low pressure of around 10 mm Hg, whereas if the artery is punctured, the pressure will be much higher, around 60 mm Hg to 80 mm Hg. The LCD also features a graphical display that shows the large pressure swings associated with an artery.

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