Insights from David, AcQumen's Chief Technology Officer

Innovation for Small Patients

AcQumen Medical is among a minority of medical device companies focused on pediatric patients. But children represent 25% of the population, and putting a focus on their health is an investment in our future. Co-Founder and CTO David Lerner recently talked about the inspiration behind AcQumen Medical's ultrasound-guided impedance monitor for children and infants. Here’s what he shared:

Q1: What led you to your interest in, and focus on, ultrasound technologies?

"I interned with a vascular surgeon as an undergraduate engineering student and witnessed the early use of non-imaging ultrasound for the diagnosis of disease.  I was struck by 2 observations.  The first was how powerful this noninvasive, painless tool was for helping patients suffering from vascular disease.  The second was how primitive this technology implementation was compared to the then-emerging consumer computing technology.  From this experience, I realized that I wanted, and felt able, to contribute to the relief of suffering through a technology rubric."

Q2: How did the idea for UltraTrac come about?

"While working as a CTO for a firm that had created a therapeutic medical device for the treatment of hypervolemia, I became aware of the tremendous value of guiding that ultrafiltration therapy based on a patient’s physiological responses.  This came into very sharp relief while visiting a Pediatric Unit where these most vulnerable and precious patients’ lives were being saved by caring healthcare workers and our technology.  After study, it became clear that the ideal parameters to monitor in order to optimize therapy are only obtainable using either invasive techniques or spot measurements made by a sonographer.  The various available monitoring technologies are not accurate or reliable enough to guide therapy for cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.  After learning about the huge potential of bioimpedance cardiography and with my background in diagnostic ultrasound, I realized that these 2 technologies are complementary and they can be used synergistically to provide accurate, reliable, and easy-to-use information to help patients."

Q3: What has been the most challenging part of developing the UltraTrac system?

"We were very fortunate to start with a base of a very reliable and accurate impedance cardiography device.  Our primary challenge is to ensure that UltraTrac is as easy to use as a standard 12 lead ECG.  This means that our ultrasound probe needs to create an acoustic field that always captures the anatomic structures and flow information without the need for manual manipulation by an expert sonographer."

Q4: Can you describe a breakthrough moment in the company's journey so far?

"While there have been a number of technology breakthroughs, perhaps the most impactful and rewarding has been the reaction of physicians and nurses to our project.  We see that our passion for, and belief in, AcQumen’s vision is shared by healthcare providers."   

Q5: What's one thing you wish more people understood about medical device innovation?

"The collaborative nature of innovation.  It is only by exposure to different people, perspectives, and ideas that true innovation can occur."

Q6: What inspires you to push the technology and AcQumen Medical's mission forward?

"I keep thinking back to that experience in the Neonatology Unit and those most vulnerable patients..."

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