Sphere Medical's Proxima 4 can now be used for diabetics and cardiac surgery patients.

Nancy Crotti

The Proxima 4 received CE Mark in September 2016.

Sphere Medical Holdings PLC has launched the next generation of its blood gases monitor in Europe. The Proxima 4, which also analyzes electrolytes and metabolites, comes with a broader array of functions, allowing it to be deployed in a wider patient group, including those requiring blood sugar control and those undergoing cardiac surgery.

The Proxima monitor draws blood over a sensor and then returns it to the patient, conserving blood, reducing the possibility of hospital-acquired anemia, infections, and potentially the need for transfusions, according to the London--based company. Proxima delivers near-real-time analysis of blood gases, electrolytes, and metabolites at the patient's bedside.  Proxima is designed for use on patients across a wide therapeutic range, enabling faster clinical decision making and improved patient outcomes, while potentially reducing costs for healthcare payers.

Sphere Medical estimates that the device's updates have increased its potential market four-fold, representing almost half the patients in intensive care. Proxima 4 is also used to monitor patients in the operating room.

The European launch of the new unit marks an important milestone on the "route to making the company commercially successful," said CEO Wolfgang Rencken in a report on Proactive Investors, a UK--based website.

"We look forward to updating the market during 2017 on progress with the marketing, and on progress with further updates and enhancements to the system," he added.

Proxima holds the CE Mark, and is available in the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy.

Nancy Crotti is a contributor to Qmed. 

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[image courtesy of SPHERE MEDICAL HOLDINGS]