Edwards Lifesciences won FDA clearance to integrate its ForeSight brain tissue oxymetry sensors with the HemoSphere monitoring platform. While the clearance is really for a connecting cable, the capability allows anesthesiologists to monitor the oxygen saturation of the brain during surgeries and to correlate it with hemodynamic parameters in real-time.

“Understanding the relationship between the heart and the brain can provide valuable patient insights to support decision making during a surgical procedure,” said Katie Szyman, corporate vice president of critical care at Edwards. “With the addition of the ForeSight sensors to Edwards’ most modern platform, HemoSphere, we can offer clinicians a broad range of smart hemodynamic management solutions to help improve patient care.”

The sensors rely on near-infrared spectroscopy to penetrate through the scalp and measure the oxygen content on the other side. One important feature of the HemoSphere system that the ForeSight sensors work with is that it offers clinicians the ability to predict many cases of unexpected blood pressure drops, allowing for timely intervention during procedures.