What are the arguments for non-invasive medical technology? Not every syndrome warrants a non-invasive application. However, where medically acceptable, non invasive methods can be an alternative to current invasive therapies. Here are some of the advantages shown by several studies:
PATIENT WELLBEING Stays in hospital, in particular, can put many patients and relatives under enormous mental and physical strain. Non-invasive methods avoid pain, as no medical instruments are inserted into the body. In addition, they also reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections(1). The use of non-invasive screening devices offer a gentle, pain-free alternative to a blood examination.
COST EFFICIENCY The use of non-invasive methods often makes a contribution to cost reduction in hospital. For example, costs for a pneumonia patient using non-invasive ventilation in Europe are half of those for intubated patients(2). Furthermore, non-invasive procedures require a shorter weaning time from respiratory devices(3) - this reduces occupancy times in expensive intensive care beds.
REDUCTION OF COMPLICATIONS One of the most common, hospital-acquired infections in the USA and Europe is ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), which can be caused by invasive ventilation. However, in the case of non-invasive ventilation, the number of possible complications falls by 62 percent(4), whereby the mortality rate for non-invasive ventilation is lower than when breathing through a tube(5).
What does Dr?ger offer? Dr?ger has been developing Technology for Life for 120 years. Today, this also includes a broad portfolio of non-invasive medical technology in the fields of ventilation, monitoring and screening. Some examples:
VENTILATION - Carina - NovaStar - Evita XL - ClassicStar
MONITORING - Infinity CNAP SmartPod - Infinity Masimo SmartPod - Infinity BISx Pod
SCREENING - Drager Jaundice Meter JM-103
Want to learn more about out non-invasive products? Please contact our Customer Services team on 01442 213542, via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our website at www.draeger.co.uk/non-invasive
(1) Kuhlen R. NIV requires a different kind of patient management. Dr?ger Review 96.1, 2008: 15 (2) Sch?nhofer, B.: Nicht-invasive Beatmung - Grundlagen und moderne Praxis, UNI-MED, Bremen, 2006 (3) Ferrer et al. Non-invasive Ventilation during Persistent Weaning Failure. Am. J. Respir Crit. care Med. 2003; Vol.168, No. 1: 70-76 (4) Ram FSF, Picot J, Lightowler J, Wedzicha JA. Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation for treatment of respiratory failure due to exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 3. (5) Plant PK, Owen JL, Elliott MW. Early use of non-invasive ventilation for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on general respiratory wards: a multicentre randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2000; 355: 1931-5
