Single-Use Flow Sensors For Pediatrics and Neonatology

The influence that reliable and accurate drug delivery has on the outcome of a therapy is particularly evident in paediatrics and neonatology. Due to the low body weight of the patients, the sum of all injected or otherwise ingested fluids, as well as the excreted fluid volumes, is not only important for the well-being of the child, but is also limited upwards. Therefore, the fluid balance of the child or newborn must be monitored and recalculated daily.

Current infusion technologies are associated with a number of inherent problems such as start delays, flow problems or dependence on hydrostatic pressure. These stem from the compliance of the tubing and syringe plunger, the movement and vertical displacement of syringe pumps when transporting the patient or the loading of a new syringe into the pumping device. If a life-saving medication with short half-lives (e.g. adrenaline) is used, this must under no circumstances be delayed.

Single-use flow sensors (integrated into infusion sets), like Sensirion's LD20, enable medical devices to precisely monitor the flow rates administered and to quickly and reliably detect the usual error modes already mentioned.

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