Nellcor used to be a company that achieved a large market share in pulse oximetry

Pulse oximetry

Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive method allowing the monitoring of the oxygenation of a patient's hemoglobin.A sensor is placed on a thin part of the patient's body, usually a fingertip or earlobe, or in the case of an infant, across a foot....

 systems. Covidien

Covidien

Covidien , formerly Tyco Healthcare, is a healthcare device and supply company, incorporated in Dublin, Ireland, although its corporate offices are located in Mansfield, Massachusetts. On June 29, 2007, Covidien became an independent publicly traded company after being spun off from Tyco...

 still markets the brand

Brand

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...

 Nellcor.

History

1981: Nellcor was started by Dr. William NEw, Jack LLoyd and Jim CORenman in Hayward, California

Hayward, California

Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...

 to develop and market pulse oximetry systems

Pulse oximetry

Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive method allowing the monitoring of the oxygenation of a patient's hemoglobin.A sensor is placed on a thin part of the patient's body, usually a fingertip or earlobe, or in the case of an infant, across a foot....

1983: Nellcor introduced its pulse oximeter

Pulse oximetry

Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive method allowing the monitoring of the oxygenation of a patient's hemoglobin.A sensor is placed on a thin part of the patient's body, usually a fingertip or earlobe, or in the case of an infant, across a foot....

 and quickly wins market share from Biox

Biox

Biox is an American medical technology company founded in 1979 known for the development of the first widely used pulse oximeter. Michael Hickey, Scott Wilber, and Bill Moe founded Biox Technology in 1979. Mr. Hickey served as the company's CEO, Mr. Wilber was the company's Chief Engineer and...

1995: Nellcor expands into respiratory-related products by acquiring Puritan-Bennett. Company renamed Nellcor Puritan Bennett.

1997: Nellcor Puritan Bennett is purchased by Mallinckrodt Inc. 

2000: Mallinckrodt is purchased by Tyco International Ltd.

Tyco

Tyco may refer to:* Tyco International, a diversified industrial conglomerate* Tyco Electronics, a former segment of Tyco International* Tyco Toys, a division of Mattel...

. Tyco established Nellcor and Puritan Bennett as separate businesses under the Tyco Healthcare umbrella.

2007: Covidien

Covidien

Covidien , formerly Tyco Healthcare, is a healthcare device and supply company, incorporated in Dublin, Ireland, although its corporate offices are located in Mansfield, Massachusetts. On June 29, 2007, Covidien became an independent publicly traded company after being spun off from Tyco...

 becomes a publicly traded company after being spun out of Tyco. Continues to market the Nellcor brand, which dominates the market together with Masimo

Masimo

Masimo Corporation is an Irvine, California-based manufacturer of non-invasive patient monitoring technologies. The company is best known for its pulse oximetry and it sells more pulse oximeters than any other company. Masimo was founded in 1989 by electrical engineer Joe E. Kiani, who was later...

 

Main Products

Pulse oximetry

Pulse oximetry

Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive method allowing the monitoring of the oxygenation of a patient's hemoglobin.A sensor is placed on a thin part of the patient's body, usually a fingertip or earlobe, or in the case of an infant, across a foot....

 is based on a technology originally developed in 1972, by Takuo Aoyagi and Michio Kishi at Nihon Kohden using the ratio of red to infrared light absorption of pulsating components at the measuring site and first commercialized by BIOX/Ohmeda

Biox

Biox is an American medical technology company founded in 1979 known for the development of the first widely used pulse oximeter. Michael Hickey, Scott Wilber, and Bill Moe founded Biox Technology in 1979. Mr. Hickey served as the company's CEO, Mr. Wilber was the company's Chief Engineer and...

in 1981.

External Links

Nellcor Website now refers to Covidien's business unit

Nellcor history