Optical Measure of Cellular Oxygenation during Cardiac Surgery

Introduction The ability to determine intracellular oxygenation in muscle is useful in physiology, pathology, and in applied clinical areas such as cardiac surgery. The availability of invivo, real-time measurements of cardiac muscle oxidation during surgery to assess reperfusion treatment, provides means for improved control and monitoring of medical and surgical procedures. Current medical monitoring of oxygen availability is limited to assessment of arterial blood oxygenation, either by pulse oximetry or by intermittent blood gas sampling. Technology description Scientists at the UW have invented a method to quantitatively determine intracellular oxygenation, blood oxygenation, and reduction-oxidation (redox) states of mitochondrial cytochromes. This technology has the potential to provide information about tissue oxygenation that is more clinically relevant than pulse oximetry. Intracellular oxygen levels in muscle tissue indicate the balance between oxygen supply and utilization. Cytochrome redox states reflect the rates of energy production by the mitochondria. Business opportunity There are an estimated 400,000 open-heart surgeries performed in this country each year. The retail sale of a single-use optical probe for use during cardiac surgery is approximately $1,000. A conservative estimate of a 20% market share would result in
$80 million dollars in annual sales.

Patents:
US 5,931,779

Type of Offer: Licensing



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