Masimo, the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry and Read-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, received the prestigious Medical Design Excellence Gold Award in 2006 for its innovative new Masimo Rainbow SET Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter.The Masimo Rad-57 Pulse CO-Oximeter is the first and only device that allows clinicians to detect and continuously monitor carbon monoxide levels in the bloodstream non-invasively. In clinical studies and in the field, Masimo Rainbow SET is already proving itself effective in detecting carbon monoxide poisoning in seconds, allowing accurate diagnosis and early treatment of a life-threatening problem that is frequently misdiagnosed as flu or migraine. Masimo has also recently received FDA clearance for the noninvasive measurement of methemoglobin levels in the blood. A recent Johns Hopkins study found that methemoglobinemia, a potentially lethal condition that starves the tissues of oxygen, is much more common in hospitalized patients than previously realized.Joe E. Kiani, Chairman & CEO of Masimo stated, "We are honored to receive this Medical Design Excellence Gold Award. We received a similar award years ago when we introduced the Radical Signal Extraction Pulse Oximeter, which was the first technology to measure oxygen saturation and pulse rate during motion and low perfusion. We take much pride that the second breakthrough in oximetry is once again developed by our engineering team. With our new Masimo Rainbow SET platform, we are collecting a much more rich data stream separated from interference, enabling us to distinguish additional blood constituents. Our clinical and engineering teams are currently working to identify and qualify additional Rainbow parameters. We thank the organizers of the MDEA program for this award and their recognition of this innovative platform, and I thank our engineering team for their brilliant efforts and tireless progress."The Medical Design Excellence Awards competition is organized and presented by Canon Communications LLC (Los Angeles) and is the only awards program that exclusively recognizes contributions and advances in the design of medical products. Entries are evaluated on the basis of their design and engineering features, including innovative use of materials, user-related functions that improve healthcare delivery and change traditional medical attitudes or practices, features that provide enhanced benefits to the patient, and the ability of the product development team to overcome design and engineering challenges so the product meets its clinical objectives. A comprehensive review of the entries was performed by an impartial, multidisciplinary panel of third-party jurors with expertise in biomedical engineering, human factors, industrial design, medicine, and diagnostics.
