Mediplus has scooped a Queen's Award for Enterprise, for its pioneering medical device catheter insertion kit dubbed ‘a GPS for the bladder’.
The High Wycombe healthcare manufacturer was presented with the award, under the Innovation category for its S-Cath System; a breakthrough technology that prevents injuries from occurring.
The S-Cath System uses the Seldinger technique to facilitate a one tract entry into the bladder allowing clinicians to perform a safer introduction of a suprapubic catheter.
The innovative device, which was designed with input from clinicians, offers a more controlled, accurate and precise placement into the bladder.
Currently, a suprapubic catheterisation is performed in an operating theatre under general anaesthetic with clinicians using a ‘blind’ percutaneous trocar puncture to gain entry into the bladder.
Instead the S-Cath System locates the bladder with a patented safety guide wire, improving placement and guarantees insertion of the trocar along the anaesthetised track.
This technique also offers a range of patient benefits such as minimal trauma and tissue damage as less pressure is needed to insert the dilator. It is also more comfortable and less stressful for the clinician to perform, as it provides them with a higher degree of control and accurate placement.
For patients, it means they only need to attend a 30-minute appointment slot in clinic, reducing treatment time from 2.3 days to 22 minutes. It also decreases the risks associated with standard ‘blind’ entry methods which have 19%* risk of complications and 1.9% risk of mortality in the UK alone.
Speaking about the award Emma Gray, managing director, said: “We are delighted to win such a prestigious award for our contribution to urology. The S Cath System is a breakthrough solution that reduces the risk of harm to patients, whilst simultaneously raising the standard of patient care and safety.”
“Many clinicians say it offers them greater confidence in inserting the trocar into the bladder describing it as a GPS for the bladder. It also offers UK hospitals huge savings in terms of money, time and resources.”
The S-Cath System has been used in the UK for six years. During this time, the UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and The British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) have both published guidelines encouraging the adoption of S-Cath System into routine care.
S-Cath System is just being launched in the USA while other European distributors are being sought.
Mediplus, a family business, has been supplying the healthcare sector with innovative patient centric products for over 30 years.
*Ahluwalia RS, et. al. The surgical risk of suprapubic catheter insertion and long-term sequelae. The Royal College of Surgeons of England – Urology. 2006; (88): 210-213
