New Sensor Optimizes Management of Compartment Syndrome

An innovative compartmental pressure monitor provides reliable, real-time continuous pressure measurements to aid in the diagnosis of compartment syndrome (CS).

Developed by MY01 (Montreal, Canada), the MY01 Continuous Compartmental Pressure Monitor is a single-use device that utilizes proprietary delivery technology in order to place a miniature sensor directly to the at-risk muscle compartment so as to measure continuous intra compartmental pressure (ICP) for up to 18 hours. Pressure readings are wirelessly transmitted to the MY01 app and stored on the Cloud, augmenting clinical early decision-making in the care of acute CS (ACS).

The MY01 contains two components, the Introducer (a plastic housing and a 17 gauge stainless steel needle), used to place the pressure sensor into muscle compartments, and the Pressure Monitor, a capacitive micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure sensor embedded on a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) that allows measurement of continuous ICP relative to a secondary atmospheric pressure sensor. The Pressure Monitor continuously outputs pressure values on the LCD screen and can be attached on the patient’s skin using an adhesive strip.

“MY01 has the potential to improve the standard of care for diagnosing CS and we will continue to innovate in this space based on surgeon feedback,” said Charles Allan, CEO of MY01. “MY01 believes that adding actionable quantitative data at the bedside can augment clinical assessments to provide more effective care collaboration that result in a more effective patient care.”

“One of the benefits to MY01 is that the continued [pressure] data that you get from it is going to allow you to understand what the overall trend of the underlying condition is. If you have a single pressure measurement combined with clinical examination, it may not be enough,” said professor of orthopedic surgery Theodore Miclau, MD, of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (CA, USA). “MY01 has the potential to change the way that we look at measuring compartment syndrome and when we decide to do surgery.”

CS is a painful condition that occurs when pressure builds up within the muscles, which can lead to decreased blood flow, preventing nourishment and oxygen from reaching nerve and muscle cells. It can be either acute or chronic. Chronic CS, also known as exertional compartment syndrome, is most often caused by athletic activity. ACS is a medical emergency, usually caused by a severe injury that without treatment can lead to permanent muscle damage.

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