TremoFlo
tremoflo®
Test pulmonary function with minimal patient effort
Airwave oscillometry
The tremoflo® Airwave Oscillometry System (AOS) is a portable medical device intended to monitor lung function and assess human respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD in adults and children.
The tremoflo® Airwave Oscillometry System (AOS) has revolutionized the Forced Oscillation Technique (FOT) by using a vibrating mesh to superimpose a gentle oscillatory pressure and flow wave onto the patient’s spontaneous breathing to measure respiratory impedance as lung resistance (R) and reactance (X). The resulting waveforms from the tremoflo® AOS provide measurements of the mechanical properties of the large central and smaller peripheral airways. This unique information is clinically valuable and complementary to Spirometry.
Just tidal breathing
No artificial breathing manoeuvre needed, no rough impulses applied, measuring with natural tidal breathing
Easy to use & very fast
Intelligent software, little instruction time needed, calibration verified for many measurements per day
Reversability & provocation testing
Templates for provocation and reversibility testing are excellent for identifying pre/post changes when using AOS
Suitable for geriatric and pediatric use
The method works with minimal active patient cooperation. Allowing to measure in a wide spectrum of patients, from pre-school children to elderly population
Semi-automatic calibration verification
Daily verification (30 s) of device ensures accurate measurements and long-term stability
Compact and portable
Not only suitable for stationary, but also light enough for mobile use
Spirometry and oscillometry
Obstructive pulmonary diseases such as asthma and COPD are increasingly recognized to originate in the “small airways”. Early obstructions in these peripheral airways are oft en not measurable
only by spirometry and therefore risk going undetected. Oscillometry has been shown to be sensitive to changes in the small airways.
Consequently, oscillometry provides unique and valuable information regarding peripheral lung function over and above spirometry, which
translates into better patient outcomes.
Optimal: combination of both:
As the study by the Scottish Centre for Respiratory Research (published in 2022) shows, it is best to combine the advantages of spirometry and oscillometry measurements. This combination allows
a complete characterization of airfl ow limitation in moderate to severe asthma.
GANSHORN PFT filters
Fundamentals
tremoflo® measurements are fast & easy.
The patient just breathes quietly.
To assess respiratory function, the tremoflo® adds a gentle oscillatory wave to the patient’s regular, quiet breathing. A short measurement duration of only 20 seconds allows three manoeuvres within a couple of minutes, even in patients who have difficulty performing spirometry.
Outcomes
Summary of clinician interpretations per published studies 1-5
A pair of curves calculated from the raw data reflects the mechanical properties of the respiratory system in characteristic patterns. Several key outcome parameters are then derived from these curves.
Characteristic patterns
- The resistance (R) curve reflects the central and peripheral airways. 2
- The reactance (X) curve reflects the elasticity and peripheral airways. 3
Benefits at a glance
- No active cooperation of patient required - advantages for adults and pediatrics
- No specific manoeuvre needed - just tidal breathing
- Reversability and provocation testing
- Measurement of the small airways, captures the lung periphery
- Quick and easy to perform
- Easy daily calibration, in under 30 seconds
- Compact, portable device
Advantages for children and elderly
Spirometry tests are often stressful and depend on patient cooperation and maximal effort. The elderly and young children in particular have difficulties in understanding and following the instructions.
As oscillometry is performed in tidal breathing, neither skilled coaching by the operator nor patient effort is required to obtain a successful test.
1 Hirsh et al., AAAAI 2011 2 Usmani et al., RESPIRATORY MEDICINE 2016 3 Al-Alwan et al., AJRCCM 2014 4 Galant et al., AAAAI 2017 5 Johnson et al., THORAX 2007