NanoMason Inc. is a research and development company, specializing in instrumentation and devices, with particular expertise in nano- and microfabricated devices, radioisotopes, and atomic systems. Hemostasis, or coagulation, is a complex process that regulates blood flow and allows clot formation. An increasing number of patients are on anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin and heparin, which sometimes can be a long-term prescription. Thromboelastography measures coagulation by rotating a pin inside a small cup of whole or fractionated blood as it coagulates to monitor the viscoelasticity of the blood as it coagulates. However, the thromboelastogram is a large, very delicate tool and cannot be effectively or cheaply used for home testing. NanoMason has developed a portable, hand-held device equivalent to the thromboelastogram for point-of-care diagnostic coagulation testing. The device uses microfabricated probes on the end of a horn structure, integrated with sensors which detect forces on the probes as they vibrate. That information is used to monitor the coagulation process. The prototype used a 75% smaller blood sample than required in a commercial thromboelastogram.
