Xavant Technology, based in Pretoria, South Africa, has launched the Stimpod NMS450. The device is a nerve stimulator that monitors neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs), or muscle relaxants, that are used in many surgical theater procedures.

The device has U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance and carries a CE Mark as well. It also has CMDCAS registration for Canada and is listed on the Therapeutic Goods Association in Australia. It is the flagship in Xavant’s Stimpod line.

Xavant Technology claims to be the first medical device company to use a three-dimensional accelerometer for monitoring NMBAs. According to the company, this allows the anesthetist to begin monitoring immediately, with virtually no setup required, and to obtain accurate, consistent audiovisual feedback throughout the operation.

NMBAs are necessary to induce paralysis during certain surgical procedures, but they can often have undesirable effects such as extreme muscular weakness and difficulty moving when the patient wakes up. Measurement devices such as the Stimpod NMS450 aid in regulating NMBAs more closely, enabling anesthetists to adjust the dose as is appropriate.

In order to monitor NMBAs, nerve stimulators are used to excite the patient’s ulnar nerve (the nerve that causes the “funny bone” reaction), with a specific stimulation waveform called a train-of-four (TOF). As its name implies, the TOF consists of four impulses, and the twitching of the patient’s thumb in response to these electrical impulses gives the anesthetist an indication as to the effectiveness of the NMBA drugs being administered. Traditional clinical assessment of these reactions consists of visually or manually gauging the reaction of the thumb, but this has been proven to be inaccurate by as much as 40 percent. Xavant’s 3-D accelerometer purportedly allows accuracy rates within 3-4 percent, with noticeable benefits to the patient.

“Studies have shown that quantitative acceleromyography monitoring reduces the incidence of residual blockade and symptoms of overall muscle weakness and improves patient satisfaction,” said Roche van Rensburg, chairman of Xavant Technology. Acceleromyographs are used to measure the force produced by a muscle after it has undergone nerve stimulation.

Corlius Birkill, CEO of Xavant Technology, noted that the Stimpod NMS450 is multi-functional and can also be used for nerve location and nerve mapping during regional anesthesia procedures, making it “a one-stop-shop” for an anesthetist.

Xavant Technology Pty. Ltd. is a supplier of nerve stimulators for regional and general anesthesia applications.