Design of an Oxistimulator system for use in clinical trials

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea, especially when undiagnosed, can be a critical issue for surgical patients in the days following surgery due to lingering effects of anesthesia that may depress their auto-response to recover from episodes of apnea. The authors worked in collaboration with medical staff to develop a custom system in support of a clinical research study. The Oxistimulator system provides a low-level electrical stimulation to a patient in response to oxygen saturation levels dropping below a defined threshold for patient safety, and tracks data required to analyze the system's effectiveness. A successful outcome of the study could help justify a new medical device that would improve patient safety during post-anesthesia recovery.