Linde Healthcare introduces intelligent digital oxygen cylinders with integrated pressure regulators

The new generation of oxygen cylinders, with an integrated pressure regulator that calculates and shows remaining time to the exact minute. LIV® IQ is also equipped with various visible and audible alerts which enhance patient safety in mobile oxygen therapy. All together, these features free up time for healthcare professionals to concentrate on the patient and enable a cost-effective use of cylinder content.

Today Linde Healthcare, a global business unit of The Linde Group, presents LIV^® IQ, the intelligent generation of oxygen cylinders with integrated pressure regulators, to a broad audience of healthcare professionals at the MEDICA in Düsseldorf, Germany. LIV^® IQ is the first cylinder that shows the remaining time, calculated from the content of the cylinder, and the set flow rate on a large and clear digital display. So from now on, the uncertainty of guessing how long the cylinder content will last is replaced by factual information, enabling the cost-effective use of the oxygen cylinder whilst reducing the frequency of cylinder changes.

Dr Christian Wojczewski, Head of Linde Healthcare, said: "Linde Healthcare is excited to present the new digital and intelligent generation of cylinder valves with integrated pressure regulator. We believe that LIV^® IQ will move mobile oxygen therapy into the digital age and significantly raise safety, convenience and cost-effectiveness. Thus, healthcare professionals in hospital settings, as well as those in emergency care such as ambulances, will now have more time to focus on patient care instead of monitoring cylinder content."

Various visible and audible alerts give the user an additional guidance in various situations, such as when the cylinder is running low, the actual flow to the patient does not comply with the set flow, or when the temperature is too high or too low. Further safety mechanisms include a visible and audible alert if the shut-off valve is closed and a flow other than "0" is selected. Like the current generation product, the LIV^® IQ is MRI Conditional and can be placed as close as 30 cm to the opening of a 3,0 Tesla magnet.

All hospitals rely on a seamless supply of gases, such as oxygen. For patients who have been prescribed oxygen therapy, it is very important to continue the therapy also during transportation to the hospital or between departments inside the hospital. Mobile gas cylinders like LIV® IQ are the ideal solution for a continuous oxygen therapy in all situations.