Scott Medical Microstream

The Scott Medical Microstream is a device used by anesthesiologists to monitor anesthesia or analgesia through the practice known as capnography. Capnography’s main goal is to avoid hypoxia or, at the very least, help diagnose hypoxia. Microstreams measure oxygenation and ventilation in patients. This means that they measure the amount of CO2 that is being produced from the patient over time. If they aren’t producing enough, the Microstream will alert doctors to the possible risk of respiratory compromise.

A Microstream is a trademarked device that Scott Medical can’t lay claim to anymore; therefore, the Microstream they produced is not on their website. According to the Scott Medical Calibration Manual, this specific Microstream was built in January of 2007. The company Oridion was formed in 1987, and they would later purchase the rights to the Microstream from Scott Medical. Then, in April of 2012, a company named Covidien would purchase Oridion for $310,000,000, making Covidien the owners of Oridion and the Microstream. Not long after in 2014, Medtronic acquired Covidien for $42.9 billion, and that’s where the Microstream stands today.

Microstreams and Capnostreams are fairly synonymous. A Capnostream is a display for the Microstream, and is typically used for more than one function. While Microstreams don’t physically show you any data, Capnostreams do. Capnostreams have an interface that will show you the patient's capnograph and their pulse rate, meaning that they are easy to use by patients at home. To sum it up, Microstreams and Capnostreams can’t really work without each other.

Many Microstream devices are similar. They are typically boxy, gray or white, and quite small. The Scott Medical Microstream is specific because it has a small switch with the word Microstream directly under it on the right side of the device. Next to the switch is a place to insert a tube to use for calibration testing— gas will be going in. Under that is a place to insert a tube used for gas going out to patients, which will induce analgesia or anesthesia. Beside the two holes will be symbols indicating whether the gas is going in or out.

• Weight - 115g to 240g
• Dimensions - about 70mmW 89mmL * 49mmH
• Source: Medtronic

Medtronic - The Medtronic website will teach you how a Microstream works and will show you different different types of devices relating to Microstreams such as Capnostreams and Microstream sampling lines.

Capnography - The Capnography website will help you understand what a Microstream does in terms of anesthesia.

EBME - The EBME website goes into more detail about why Microstreams are used over other devices.

Crunchbase- The Crunchbase website is a valuable tool for learning about the company Oridion and its history.