MRI Anesthesia Machine Cleared for Market

A new anesthesia machine has received FDA approval for use in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environment.

The Aestiva/5 MRI anesthesia machine from Datex-Ohmeda (Madison, WI) has been tested and validated to perform according to the published specifications up to the 300 Gauss line of a 1.5 T active-shielded magnet, the most common type of magnet used in MRI suites today.

Software and performance specifications for the Aestiva/5 MRI are the same as those for the company's regular Aestiva/5 anesthesia machine. Clearances are pending in the Canadian and European markets.

The unit's SmartVent ventilator offers pressure and volume control modes that make it especially useful for the MRI environment. The ventilator's gas compensation system automatically adjusts for changes in fresh gas flows, small system leaks, changing lung compliance, or compression losses.

Edited by Ursula Jones