SERIOUS ABOUT SPEED
The CIRCA S-Cath System is designed to provide the clinician with accurate temperature data even when the esophageal temperature is changing quickly as in the case of clinically applied hot and cold energy.
CIRCA’s speed and accuracy is designed into the probe, the monitor, and the interaction between both components serve to provide the user with critical data fast.
S-Cath Design compared to a Single-Thermistor, General Purpose Probe
The S-CATH’s responsiveness begins in the construction of each of the probe’s 12 sensors. CIRCA’s high quality thermistor is attached directly to a thin metal band near to the probe’s surface. Finally, a thin layer of pebax is applied which coats and isolates the metal band so that there is no exposed metal.
The figure below shows a cross-section of the S-CATH. The probe is designed with the thermistor in direct contact to the metal band in order to facilitate fast transfer of temperature changes to the thermistor. Only a thin layer of Pebax coats the outside of the sensor band.
Contrast this with the design of a single-thermistor, general purpose probe. The figure below shows a linear cross-section of a general purpose probe. Notice the thermistor is buried deep within the body of the probe. The thermistor is encased is several layers of material. The thermistor is enclosed in a hard plastic capsule which is filled with epoxy. The capsule is covered with a layer of PVC plastic with an air gap between the two layers. The PVC, air gap, capsule and epoxy slow the conduction of heat or cold to the thermistor.
Serious about Speed: Updated 20X per Second
While the S-Cath provides continuous esophageal temperature monitoring, the CIRCA Monitor graphically and numerical displays the data from all 12 temperature sensors in an easy to understand format. Data from general purpose probes may be updated only every 1-3 seconds while the data from the CIRCA probe is updated on the monitor 20X per second providing real-time temperature information.