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SMOOTH·RIDE™ Pressure-Change Technology |
Computer-based electronic control
BARA-MED® and BARA-MED® XD, the world's most advanced hyperbaric chambers, continue to set standards of capability and safety others follow. ETC, the company that developed the first acrylic monoplace chamber with an internal diameter greater than twenty-five inches and the first monoplace chamber with PC-based electronic control, has now implemented a new feature.
Smoothes out stresses on patients
This development, SMOOTH·RIDE™ pressure-change technology, is of special importance for patient comfort, safety and facility efficiency. This approach smoothes out the stresses imposed on patients during chamber compression and decompression.
Reduces incidence of barotrauma by 67%
It is broadly accepted that the most common problem for patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy is difficulty in equalizing the pressure in their middle ears during the compression phase of a treatment. If not dealt with properly, this pressure imbalance can ultimately produce physical injury (i.e. barotrauma). Not surprisingly, some patients reject further treatments when only suffering the pain and discomfort that precedes barotrauma. And, even when an ear squeeze is properly managed, the time required to do this can have significant impact on treatment schedules. Patient rejection and difficulties in maintaining operational timelines cost hyperbaric therapy providers time and money.
Global response is resoundingly positive
Research conducted by the U.S. Air Force on curvilinear profiles shows that incorporating SMOOTH·RIDE™ technology reduces the incidence of barotrauma by approximately 67%.¹ The response to SMOOTH·RIDE™ in clinical utilization of the ETC BARA-MED and BARA-MED XD in the U.S. and abroad has been resoundingly positive. Facilities now using ETC chambers with SMOOTH·RIDE™ have reported that it has all but eradicated their compression-related ear problems.
Improved patient comfort and safety
Even those patients who have had a number of treatments and ceased to experience ear equalization problems have reported that SMOOTH·RIDE™ is just more comfortable than the standard linear compression alternative. Likewise, decompression with SMOOTH·RIDE™ reduces the risk of lung barotraumas in patients with pulmonary obstruction.¹ Thus, an ETC BARA-MED and BARA-MED XD provide improved patient comfort and safety, and the potential to increase operational efficiency.
Leaders in technological innovation
SMOOTH·RIDE™ is now a standard feature of the BARA-MED and the BARA-MED XD, thus ensuring a win-win situation for both patients and operators. ETC's BioMedical Systems Group continues to lead the hyperbaric medical field in technological innovation.
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¹ Zwart BP. The "smooth ride" profile: Development, implementation, and evaluation of a hyperbaric chamber descent and ascent based on a constant rate of volume change with time.
Davis Hyperbaric Laboratory Report, Brooks AFB, Texas, 1998.
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