News & Topics

Apr 07, 2009

Answering your emergency and immediate testing needs:

The measurement of blood ammonia is an important test item for diagnoses in patients in an altered state. As well as being important for understanding the state of liver disease and the prognosis and monitoring of hepatic encephalopathy and hepatic coma, it is a vital pediatric test item for congenital metabolic disorders. The emergency and immediate needs for its measurement are high and it is necessary for emergent cases and use in disaster areas.

The PocketChem™ BA PA-4140 is compact and light with superb portability, and allows for whole blood measurement immediately after blood sampling without the need for sample preparation.. Dry batteries can be used as the power source and since water is
not required with its dry chemistry reagent system, it has the high specifications needed for emergency and immediate testing. 50 test results can be stored and because it has a serial communication function, your measurement results can be managed on a PC.
Print outs are also possible with the optional printer.

ARKRAY pledges to continue to provide you with a product lineup that answers your emergency testing needs.

Main Features

● Lightweight and compact design
Analytical unit comes with an optional detachable
printer. The analytical unit itself weighs just 150g.
Small enough to fit into a lab coat pocket.

● Measurement is possible anywhere
Dry chemistry method requiring no water
Power comes from 2 AA dry batteries
(an AC adapter can also be used)
1000 continuous measurements can be performed
with a single battery change.
(5 times the life of the previous model)

● Hassle-free maintenance
For maintenance, only daily washing of the strip holder
No replacement of lamp required (adoption of LED as a light source)

*For blood ammonia measurement devices （According to an ARKRAY investigation of 7 April 2009）

Background

When measuring blood ammonia, ammonia forms in the blood if the sample is left for some time after blood sampling and this results in elevated values, so a system that allows measurement immediately after sampling was highly sought after. In 1988, ARKRAY, developed a dry chemistry system for blood ammonia measurement removing the need for water thus meeting the needs of the market at the time. This, new PocketChem™ BA PA-4140 is even easier to use and is embodied in a compact design with superb portability.

Clinical significance

Ammonia is a toxic breakdown product formed from protein in ingested food. However the liver converts this into a less toxic form, urea, which is then expelled from the body in the form of urine. If the patient has reduced liver function from acute hepatitis etc or cirrhosis or a congenital metabolic disorder, the ammonia level in the blood will rise.
Hyperammonemia (a highly elevated ammonia concentration) occurs when the processing of ammonia is impaired due to serious liver damage such as acute hepatitis or cirrhosis etc and can lead to hepatic encephalopathy and hepatic coma. In the event that an emergency decision needs to be made, the measurement of blood ammonia is very useful. As such, the measurement of blood ammonia is an important test item for diagnosis in patients with an altered state. As well as being important for understanding the state of liver disease and the prognosis and monitoring of hepatic encephalopathy and hepatic coma, it is a vital pediatric test item for congenital metabolic disorders.

Product outline

●Analysis Unit

●Printer * Compatible specifications with the PocketChem™UA PU-4010