Blood Gas Systems set for Everest Return

The Xtreme Everest organisation is to use two blood gas analysers from Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics during a return expedition to Mount Everest later this year. The team of intensive care doctors, nurses and scientists conduct experiments at high altitude in order to develop therapies that improve survival rates amongst patients. Experimenting at altitude closely reflects the oxygen levels experienced by patients at intensive care units. The two systems from Siemens travelling to the world’s highest peak are the RAPIDPoint® 500 Blood Gas Analyser and the RAPIDLab® 348EX Blood Gas System. The Xtreme Everest 2 expedition follows previous research conducted on Everest by the organisation in 2007, which saw the team use the RAPIDLab 348 from Siemens.

The team will conduct studies into nitric oxide and its effect on microcirculation and mitochondria. Volunteers will include identical twins, children, Sherpas and some of the volunteers who took part in 2007. The RAPIDPoint 500 offers ease-of-use to deliver laboratory-quality results at the Point of Care in approximately 60 seconds from a single, whole blood sample. The system’s built-in CO-oximeter will be used by the team to investigate haemoglobin mass levels at high altitude. The RAPIDLab 348EX Blood Gas Analyser features a new colour touchscreen monitor for intuitive ease of use, supported by its predecessor’s tried and tested components for reliability and minimal maintenance requirements.

As part of the preparations, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics’ manufacturing facility in Sudbury played host to members of the Xtreme Everest 2 team, and demonstrated the production of the RAPIDPoint 500 Blood Gas Analyser and RAPIDLab 348EX Blood Gas System.

During the visit to the Siemens manufacturing facility, the Xtreme Everest team received a detailed explanation and demonstration of how the RAPIDPoint 500 and RAPIDLab 348EX systems are built at the factory. They also received hands-on experience across the production line, which allowed them to gain a greater understanding of the systems, as well as further insight into how the RAPIDPoint 500 and RAPIDLab 348EX can be maintained in the harsh environment of the Himalayas.