Smiths Medical has launched its Pneupac paraPAC plus ventilator in the United States and Canada. The ventilator, cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada, has been used clinically since early 2011 in countries accepting CE-marked devices.
The paraPAC plus is the most advanced transport ventilator of the Pneupac range, supporting the basic life-sustaining needs of a patient in respiratory distress as well as the needs of an inpatient receiving continuous positive airway pressure or other high efficiency oxygen therapy. It is compact, measuring 235 mm wide, 165 mm deep by 93 mm high and weighs less than five pounds, approximately a third lighter than its predecessor, the Pneupac paraPAC. The small footprint fits neatly at a patient's side, on a stretcher or bed, in an ambulance or aircraft, and on a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) table, the company notes. The non-ferrous construction allows it to be positioned next to a 3-Tesla shielded magnet affecting neither ventilator function nor MRI scan quality and it is approved for use in a spatial gradient of up to 7.5 Tesla in the MRI environment. It is built with a rugged case that encapsulates internal structures, the intake and output ports, controls and indicators from rough handling or transport.
The paraPAC plus is fully pneumatic while performing essential operations -- ventilation and oxygen therapies -- without electrical power. An electronic alarm system of visual and audible signals can be powered by a long-life, MRI compatible lithium battery, according to Smiths Medical. In addition, the ventilator's Air Mix feature helps conserve precious oxygen supplies when used during lengthy transports.
"We are pleased to offer our most advanced ventilator in North America," said Andrew Rose, vice president of Specialty Business. "Globally paraPAC plus has had more than two years of clinical use and we are confident that it is one of the most reliable, resilient and versatile transport ventilators that we have ever produced."
Smiths Medical supplies specialized medical devices and equipment that focus on the medication delivery, vital care and safety devices markets. It is part of Smiths Group, a developer of advanced technologies for markets in threat and contraband detection, energy, medical devices, communications and engineered components. Smiths Group employs roughly 22,000 people in more than 50 countries.