OtoNexus Medical Technologies
Advancing Antimicrobial Stewardship

Otitis media-an infection of the middle ear may develop during or after upper respiratory infections. Middle ear infection diagnosis today is by manual, visual inspection of the eardrum via the ear can using an otoscope. Clinical studies show a diagnostic error rate of about 50 percent in determining the presence or absence of fluid in the middle ear using a conventional otoscopic examination. As a result, middle ear infections are a major source of misdiagnosis, unnecessary antibiotics and are a significant driver of healthcare costs.

OtoNexus Medical Technologies has developed the world’s first hand-held medical device with miniaturized ultrasound technology to instantly and accurately diagnose middle ear infections in less than two seconds. By identifying both the presence and the type of infection, the device gives definitive, objective diagnostic data to the clinician, helping determine the requirement of antibiotics more accurately.

“Our technology is purpose-built for primary care pediatricians to remove the uncertainty of diagnosis, allowing them to use antibiotics judiciously,” says Caitlin Cameron, CEO, OtoNexus Medical Technologies.

The OtoNexus device analyzes the middle ear infection through a non-invasive method. Resembling a conventional otoscope, it is small and easy to carry. Unlike other ultrasound devices, the OtoNexus otoscope doesn’t utilize ultrasound gel, making it ideal for use in the ear. The ultrasound transducer placed in the tip of a speculum scans the middle ear for effusion and characterizes the type of fluid present.

It provides a quantitative score to the physician, to identify fluid presence and type of infection. This quantitative data provides a clear picture of the middle ear infection, resulting in faster treatment decisions.

The OtoNexus device feature that doctors and parents value the most is that it provides definitive data in just two seconds. By providing confirmatory data about the infection in terms of differentiating between bacterial and viral infection, it equips doctors to practice antimicrobial stewardship, giving them the confidence to withhold antibiotic prescriptions when it’s not a bacterial infection. This data also resolves parental concerns regarding the over prescription of antibiotics.

The OtoNexus device gives better data to pediatricians and improves the quality of referrals to specialists. Moreover, it blends perfectly into clinicians’ current workflow because it resembles an otoscope. Nurses may also use this device to conduct eardrum assessments even before the doctor sees the patient, which further speeds up the treatment process. The device can also take photos and videos for clinicians’ reference and for sharing with patients and parents.

OtoNexus’ device is the key device from which its team has designed a series of versions for different verticals to expand the product portfolio. Its heavily patented technology is very flexible, and has many capabilities. The company has identified numerous medical applications devices that could be created with their technology and is focused on building out an entire platform. Outside the medical field, the technology has applications in the areas of industrial manufacturing and food production.