Press release

November 28, 1999 A Université de Montréal researcher designs a revolutionary respirator controller

Christer Sinderby, an assistant researcher at the Université de Montréal Faculty of Medicine, recently developed an assisted ventilation control mechanism that could revolutionize the treatment of patients with respiratory failure. Potential users of this innovation include intensive care units, emergency wards and trauma centres. The device applies to both adults and infants. This new technology detects the patient's breathing effort using a modified maso-gastric tube. The tube is equipped with sensors capable of recording muscular activity of the diaphragm. This technology can record the slightest stimulation of a muscle. Best performance of the new device is achieved with patients having severe breathing problems. "We have tested our system on fifty patients at the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital and have commenced a study in infants at Sainte-Justine's Hospital. The preliminary results are very encouraging. More than 75% of patients connected to a ventilator improved their breathing thanks to the new device", said Dr. Sinderby. Dr. Sinderby will publish an article on this new technology in the December issue of the scientific journal "Nature Medicine". -30- Dr. Sinderby will be available for interview until Tuesday, November 30, then after January 10, 2000.

Information Marie-Claude Chalvignac Université de Montréal Direction des communications Tel.: (514) 343-7704 Pager: (514) 423-0651