Bioreactance: A New Method for Non-invasive Cardiac Output Monitoring

Abstract

This review summarizes the basic principles of the bioreactance technology that explain a better signal to noise ratio as compared to old bioimpedance systems. The ten basic assumptions of the mathematic model allowing cardiac output estimation from changes in chest bioreactance are then reviewed. Two experimental studies on pigs have validated the model using an extra corporal pump and a Doppler flow probe as references, respectively. Two clinical studies have validated the first cardiac output monitoring system based on chest bioreactance (NICOM™, Cheetah Med.). Four predetermined criteria (bias, precision, responsiveness and ability to detect significant changes in cardiac output) were analyzed using continuous thermodilution as reference. The first study showed that the NICOM was acceptable in 85-100 % of the cases according to the chosen criteria. The second study showed that the NICOM was at least equivalent to the VIGILEO™, (Edwards Life Sciences), an invasive system based on pulse contour analysis. © 2007 Société de réanimation de langue française.