fbpx

Home – Clinical Viscometers

A welcome to the Benson Viscometers website by our chairman Bernie Benson

I am Bernie Benson, engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur. In the late 1990’s I worked with respected scientists, haematologists from the UK NHS to lay down the specification of a then revolutionary laboratory instrument. An automated clinical viscometer known then as the blood plasma viscometer.

The plasma viscosity of a person’s blood gives a measure of any increase in plasma proteins and fibrinogen in blood plasma stimulated by a variety of causes. For example, infection, inflammation, and cancer. These results help doctors and clinicians to make a more precise diagnosis of a patient’s condition.

Our company motto and mantra is “Quality – Quality – Quality”. Unequivocally Benson Viscometers manufacture the most advanced clinical viscometers in the world. Some pathology laboratory managers have reported our viscometers are the most reliable ‘sophisticated’ analysers in their lab.

During December 2019 and early 2020 before Covid restrictions struck we saw the “writing on the wall”. Our immediate policy was to rapidly restock all essential materials and consumables. Anecdotally we have been complimented as probably the only hospital laboratory supplier to maintain lab deliveries of all analyser consumable materials and stocks.

During the Covid crisis we did not furlough any of our staff. We actually increased the number of employees to guarantee and maintain production of essential consumables, instruments, and maintain full customer support. Indeed, we were fortunate enough to see growth in the interest and the demand for our analysers and clinical viscosity testing generally. This was aided by the recognition of a correlation between plasma viscosity results and the severity of Covid 19. To comply fully with the Covid restrictions and continue with our company expansion plans we opened an additional new production and development facility next to our main operation at Haverfordwest in Wales UK.

Bernie Benson
Founder and Chairman.
Benson Viscometers

ABOUT CLINICAL VISCOMETRY

Benson Viscometers is a British company specialising in the design, development and manufacture of high-quality clinical viscometers and blood measuring equipment. At Benson Viscometers we believe in engineering excellence, technical innovation and quality of service.

The range includes a fully automated walk away high volume analyser (BV200) capable of processing 60 samples per hour for large laboratories and a semi automated analyser (BV1) suitable for small laboratories performing up to 50 samples a day.

The company also supplies a full range of control and maintenance reagents to give operators confidence in their results.

Read More

QUALITY ASSURANCE

For confidence in your results

An increasing number of laboratories are electing to use Clinical Viscosity routinely in preference to erythrocyte sedimentation testing (ESR). This is because Clinical Viscosity results are easier to interpret and results can be fully validated.

Assured by UK NEQAS

Read More

WHAT THE PROFESSIONALS SAY

“The Isle of Man was the first site worldwide to purchase a Benson Viscometer and both the instrument and company have come a long way since its inception. We turned our back on ESR’s over 30 years ago and our current Benson Viscometers perform over 20000 plasma viscosities per annum with very little downtime. Given our somewhat remote location accuracy, reliability and performance are vitally important and Benson Viscometers meet these requirements admirably.”

Paul Woods CSci FIBMS,Chief Biomedical Scientist, Haematology Dept., Noble’s Hospital, Isle of Man

Read More

SOME PLASMA VISCOMETRY FACTS

  • Patient plasma viscosity (PV) is unaffected by patient anaemia or polycythaemia
  • Samples can be analysed up to one week after centrifugation
  • Test results are not affected by anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Patient PV is not affected by age (>3 years), gender or smoking
  • A rise of PV in the third trimester of pregnancy is predictable
  • The only diagnostic test for plasma hyperviscosity

Who we work with…