CathTrack
Epidural analgesia is the gold standard for labor and postoperative pain management, yet it has a high failure rate of up to 41%, representing a significant clinical and operational challenge. Despite its effectiveness, continuous epidural infusion requires:
- High resource allocation (anesthesiologists, nurses, surgeons).
- Repeated assessments to confirm catheter functionality and position.
- Additional interventions (CT scans, opioids, lab tests) when catheter failure is suspected.
Approximately 2.5 million labor epidurals and 950,000 postoperative epidurals are performed annually in the US alone.
Existing solutions like ultrasound visualization are limited in detecting catheter placement due to the inability to visualize plastic catheters directly. When catheter failure is suspected, it often leads to prolonged hospitalization, patient discomfort, and medico-legal risks.
Inventors
Dr. Ido Zellner, Meir Medical Center
Contact info
Avital Pritz, Director of Medical Devices and Digital Health
For further information please contact:
avital@mor-research.comOur patented technology repurposes standard syringe pumps to generate specific flow patterns detectable via common Doppler ultrasound devices, allowing:
• Real-time, precise localization of catheter tips (epidural, IV lines, surgical drains, nerve blocks).
• Avoidance of complex and expensive imaging methods like fluoroscopy or CT.
• Continuous monitoring with ultrasound patches (next-generation solution).
• Integration of a decision-support algorithm using real-time biophysical data for enhanced clinical decision-making and around-the-clock monitoring.
Unlike existing products our system offers:
• Compatibility with standard equipment.
• No need for specialized catheters.
• Continuous localization capability.
• Growing Market: Approximately 3.5 million epidural catheters placed annually in the US alone, with high failure rates generating operational inefficiencies and cost burdens.
• Economic Advantage: Significant potential savings per case through reduction in:
o Resource consumption (staff time, imaging, interventions).
o Hospital stays.
o Medico-legal exposure.
• Scalable Use Cases: Beyond epidural catheters, the technology can extend to:
o IV lines.
o Peripheral nerve blocks.
o Surgical drains.
The solution upgrades hospitals’ standard infusion pumps into a scalable, safety-enhancing platform, improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency without requiring investment in dedicated equipment.
• Prototype Completed: A functional prototype successfully tested in an ex-vivo pig model with various commercial catheters. 100% accuracy in detecting catheter position verified by fluoroscopy.
• Intellectual Property: PCT Patent Application submitted.
• Regulatory Pathway:
o FDA submission likely via “letter to file” route, as it's an enhancement to existing pumps.
o CE marking requires simple notification due to reliance on operator discretion.
Next Steps:
o Clinical trials to establish sensitivity and specificity.
o Integration with continuous ultrasound monitoring patches.
o Development of the decision-support algorithm.