A symposium, sponsored by Welch Allyn, recently discussed the latest developments in medical device technology, affecting the biomedical engineering sector, while celebrating the important contribution that biomedical engineers have to offer in improving efficiency, ensuring patient safety and delivering savings for Trusts. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.
Introducing the “Completing the Picture” symposium to an audience of biomedical engineers, Paul Blackett, medical engineering operations manager, Lancashire Teaching Hospital, commented that training and education in biomedical engineering has improved over the last thirty years. However, technology advancements are redefining healthcare – creating a new environment, characterised by the integration of engineering disciplines with medical technology and clinical expertise. To better prepare engineers for the future of healthcare, the gap between biomedical principles and clinical applications must be bridged. “Completing the Picture” (an annual symposium for clinical and biomedical engineers) aims to bridge this gap by improving awareness of clinical issues that affect the sector – today and in the future. Now in its 9th year, the latest event provided delegates with an insight into issues ranging from “the role of nurses in new medical device development”, “advances in pacemaker defibrillator technology”and “maintaining positive airway pressure”, to advice on “implementing RFID tracking” and “effective maintenance of 21st Century equipment”.
Positive airway pressure
Dr Graeme Wilson, consultant in respiratory medicine and honorary senior lecturer, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, discussed the theme: “How to maintain positive airway pressure” – providing an overview of the various approaches that are currently available, while emphasising the importance of correct patient selection. He explained that there are various guidelines offering different views on target oxygen saturation levels. The Critical Care Consensus Guidelines, for example, state that the minimum arterial oxygen level recommended in acute illness is >90%; the BTS Oxygen Guidelines recommend that it should be between 94% and 98%; while Surviving Sepsis believes that it should be 88% to 92%. However, in a person who is acutely ill with no previous lung disease, an oxygen saturation level of around 90% is a safe level.
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