ivWatch, a company out of Williamsburg, Virginia, received FDA clearance for its eponymous IV infiltration and extravasation monitoring system. The ivWatch works via an infrared sensor that is stuck next to the IV site, which is able to non-invasively detect IV fluid leaking outside the vein.

The system works with both forearm and back of the hand IV administration sites, and can reliably detect 4 cc of leakage. In clinical trials, it was sometime even able to spot leakages down to 1 cc. The system is nearly fully automatic, warning nurses to check the IV as soon as leakage is detected. It will hopefully relieve staff from frequent checking of IV sites and lead to a safer experience for the patients.

Thanks to a reduction in adverse events, as well as the use of PICC lines, ivWatch may just pay for itself by improving patient care and boosting nursing productivity. Moreover, IV medication waste should be reduced thanks to a lower need for redoing IV placements.

Source:ivWatch