Company News In Brief
Siemens Healthcare has appointed Peter Downing to the position of North East Territory Manager for Ultrasound. In his new role he will be responsible for promoting the range of acuson diagnostic ultrasound systems and supporting the needs of customers across the regional areas of East Midlands, Yorkshire and the North East.
Siemens said that Mr Downing joins from a multi-modality account management role at GE Healthcare and also brings to Siemens a background in ultrasound sales from Esaote.
Mr Downing said: “Ultrasound offers exciting diagnostic opportunities in today’s healthcare environment and I’m delighted to join the Siemens team at a time of great innovation.
“Handheld ultrasound such as the Acuson P10 offers the potential as a digital stethoscope on the wards plus an off-site triage tool, and the next generation Acuson S2000 will greatly enhance clinical workflow and diagnostic confidence. I am looking forward to championing the functionality and benefits of the range of solutions in the North East region.”
Declan Dunphy, product manager for Ultrasound at Siemens Healthcare said: “Peter will be a great addition to the team having worked within the NHS and in industry. We look forward to his contribution in supporting the requirements of Trusts as they look for greater productivity returns from diagnostic ultrasound.”
A fleet of SonoSite point-of-care ultrasound systems, including an M-Turbo® and three S-Nerve® instruments, is significantly changing the approach of anaesthetists in regional anaesthesia at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. Dr Nigel Bedforth, consultant anaesthetist at the QMC campus of the hospital, explained: “Both the M-Turbo and S-Nerve systems have great image resolution, offering excellent visibility of nerve structures. As a result, anaesthetists who are using point-of-care ultrasound are developing better awareness of internal anatomy; we’re realising that a more thorough understanding of muscles, tendons, vessels, bones and other structures is really important for being skilful at finding nerves, rather than relying solely on landmarks. Our SonoSite systems allow us to place nerve blocks more safely and accurately, even, for example, for the more difficult blocks like supraclavicular, which were often previously avoided due to the risk of pneumothorax.”
Dr Bedforth added: “I personally use the M-Turbo for virtually everything I do, while the S-Nerve systems suit less frequent users because they are even easier to use, with a minimum of buttons and controls. We are keen to pass on our techniques to other anaesthetists and, as part of our established relationship with SonoSite, we have jointly run ultrasound-guided anaesthesia courses for a number of years.”
Abbott has been named one of the Top 10 companies on The Scientist magazine’s annual ‘Best Places to Work in Industry’ list.
Abbott is the highest ranked health care company on the 2010 list, ranking No. 4 on the list of Large Companies. This is the seventh time that Abbott has been on the list since The Scientist first started ranking companies in 2003. The list is based on a detailed survey taken by scientists at life-science companies and research institutions worldwide.
“Abbott’s success begins with our scientists, and our inclusion on this list acknowledges our commitment to building a strong scientific community that is creative and collaborative in seeking new solutions for patients,” said John Leonard, senior vice president, Pharmaceuticals, Research and Development, Abbott.
“This year’s winners include innovative companies that value scientific creativity and encourage employees to give back to their community,” said Edyta Zielinska, Associate Editor, The Scientist.
Respondents to The Scientist survey were asked to assess their working environment according to 45 criteria in eight different categories, including overall job satisfaction, training, benefits and flexibility. Survey respondents cited training, educational development and a sense of community as top factors in establishing a positive workplace.
News Items
FDA Rejects Sedasys Sedation System Application
The FDA has rejected Ethicon Endo-Surgery’s application to market its highly anticipated, computer-aided propofol sedation system.
The Sedasys Computer-Assisted Personalized Sedation System would allow gastroenterologists and nurses to administer minimal to moderate propofol sedation, without the aid of an anaesthestists, to patients undergoing office-based endoscopic procedures.
The parent company Johnson & Johnson received a “Not Approvable” letter from the FDA, which provided information on options, including additional clinical studies, the company could consider. In response, Johnson & Johnson has filed an appeal, asking the FDA for an administrative review by an independent advisory committee.
Last year, an FDA advisory panel voted 8 to 2 in favour of approval of the Sedasys System. Although the FDA is not required to follow the advice of its advisory panels, many believed that approval of the device was imminent. Sedasys is currently approved for use during colonoscopies in both the European Union and Canada.
Throughout the FDA review process, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) expressed serious concerns regarding the safety of the device. At the meeting of the FDA advisory panel last year, Donald Martin, of Penn State’s Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, provided oral testimony on behalf of the ASA, where he urged the panel to impose restrictions on the use of the device. The FDA advisory panel recommended approval of the system based on four conditions:
- The device be restricted to use in patients age 70 or younger.
- The device be used only in the presence of a three-person clinical team, with one person monitoring the patient, one monitoring the device and one managing the patient’s airway.
- Specialized training, including airway management and propofol pharmacology, be completed by nonanaesthetists using the device.
- Post-marketing studies on safety and efficacy be completed by the manufacturer.
ASA president, Alexander Hannenberg, strongly supported the FDA’s rejection of the application to market the device.
“I am pleased that the FDA recognized the many unanswered questions and safety concerns about the device and the qualifications of those who sought to use it,” Dr. Hannenberg said in an ASA press statement. “ASA has a long history of advocating for patient safety, and through its ruling on Sedasys, FDA has fulfilled its duty to protect patients; for that we are extremely grateful.”
The labeling for propofol, the widely used sedative for routine colonoscopy, currently states that only professionals trained in the administration of general anaesthesia should be able to provide the drug.
Ethicon had touted the Sedasys System as a device that would enable medical teams to administer propofol during procedures without the presence of an anesthesia professional, potentially allowing gastroenterologists to perform endoscopies with propofol sedation without an anesthesiologist.
The device is designed to continuously monitor and record parameters (e.g., oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, end-tidal carbon dioxide) in patients undergoing endoscopy, and automatically detects and reacts to signs of oversedation by stopping or reducing the delivery of propofol, increasing the delivery of oxygen and automatically instructing patients to take a deep breath.
Penlon Win Queen’s Award For Enterprise
Penlon Limited has been bestowed a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in international trade for its continued record growth and commercial success in overseas markets, where revenues have more than doubled over six years.
The Oxfordshire-based company and the only independent UK based manufacturer of anaesthesia systems, has built a reputation for such excellence in its field which goes back to 1943, when it was first established by personnel from the Department of Anaesthetics at Oxford University.
The business continues to go from strength to strength, exporting over 60% of its production to more than 90 countries worldwide, helping to improve standards of healthcare in many of the developing countries around the world.
In the past six years, the Company received its largest single order for 250 anaesthesia machines from the Iraqi Ministry of Health. Following a visit by Iraqi representatives to view our manufacturing capability, Penlon was selected as the winning bidder out of a total sixteen.
A large number of anesthesia machines were also placed into Mexico, where both the Mexico Ministry of Health and Social Security continue to choose Penlon as one of their preferred suppliers.
Ian Gil-Rodriguez, Business Director, Medical Gas Solutions said: “The Penlon brand is very much an emblem of quality and we have worked closely with many Health Ministries to help them adopt this technology, to ensure the safe delivery of gases throughout hospitals.
“Our geographical reach continues to grow and we have been regularly supported by UK Embassies, as part of their trade and investment responsibilities.”
Some of the projects Penlon has been involved with include supplying the first liquid oxygen contract to Sri Lanka for five regional hospitals following the tsunami of 2006 and the installation of medical pipeline into twelve new hospitals in Iraq.
This is Penlon’s fourth Queen’s Award and truly distinguishes Penlon, which competes against a number of multi-national players in this sector. Previous awards were in 1968 and 1976 for Export Achievement, followed in 2002 with a Queen’s Award for Innovation for the highly acclaimed Sigma Delta Vaporizer. Peter Leyland, CEO said, “Penlon is immensely proud to receive this accolade and reflects the combined expertise and effort of everyone who has contributed to the sustained success of the business and their genuine passion in helping to raise standards of healthcare.”
Inditherm Secure Largest-Ever NHS Contract
Inditherm Medical has recently secured their largest ever single order from an NHS hospital, to provide patient warming systems in all their operating theatres.
The project includes over 30 complete systems with capability to meet the needs of the full range of different surgical procedures. Implementation will begin in April and will allow all patients undergoing surgery in the hospital concerned to be warmed automatically as soon as they lie on the operating table. It is estimated that the NHS Trust will also realise annual cost savings of around £200,000 and reduce environmental impact at the same time.
The UK government’s regulatory authority NICE, the National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence, published an official guideline recommending that patients should be actively warmed to reduce the risks known to be associated with hypothermia during surgery. This condition occurs during surgical procedures largely due to the effect of the anaesthetic. Taking active steps to keep patients warm throughout their operation is well-proven to reduce the risk of complications such as wound infections and blood loss. Faster recovery times and shorter hospital stays have also been shown to result from preventing them getting cold.
The cost of implementing the NICE guidelines is proving a challenge for many hospitals in current times of budget constraint. Typically NHS hospitals would see an increased spend of over 100% compared to historic practice and that has influenced decision-making for this project. The Inditherm system means that a hospital can address the requirements laid down by the NICE guideline and at the same time substantially reduce costs. Installing the Inditherm system ensures that every surgical patient can be warmed, at the same running cost as a light-bulb.
Traditional warming technology requires the use of imported disposable blankets and forced warm air blowers to prevent hypothermia, whereas Inditherm supply the only British manufactured product. The company recently received a national award with the product, for delivering sustainability into the NHS. The award recognised the improved clinical care, reduction of costs and significant environmental savings. This hospital should see an immediate and substantial reduction in the amount of clinical waste created, estimated at well over a tonne per year. The very low power usage is set to lower the hospital’s annual electricity consumption by over 25,000 kWh.
Inditherm Chief Executive, Nick Bettles, said: “This order comes at the end of an exhaustive evaluation and procurement exercise. Inditherm is the only manufacturer of specialist patient warming systems in the UK, and whilst the clinical considerations are always the driving factor behind any decision to change, it is good to find a British technology that delivers financial and environmental savings at the same time.
“Sometimes customers think the benefits our product can offer are too good to be true, but we have over 50 NHS hospitals using the system now who can confirm that there isn’t a catch. At a time of severe budget constraints we hope that many other NHS Trusts will also take up the opportunity to substantially reduce costs and at the same time measurably improve patient care.”
Analogic Launch FlexFocus System
Analogic Corporation, a provider of medical imaging and aviation security technology, has announced the Flex Focus™ 400 Anaesthesia ultrasound scanner, a dedicated ultrasound system for regional anaesthesia designed and manufactured by its BK Medical subsidiary. The Flex Focus 400 Anaesthesia is the newest addition to the state-of-the-art Flex Focus family of products already in use in urology and surgery applications worldwide.
The Flex Focus 400 Anaesthesia has a large, 19-inch screen and uses BK Medical’s proprietary IQPAC™ imaging technology for superior image quality. The large monitor and high-resolution imaging allow a clear view of anatomical structures from virtually any bedside position and in the operating room.
Jim Green, Analogic’s president and CEO, said, “The introduction of the Flex Focus 400 Anaesthesia is a major milestone for our Company. It is the first step in expanding the scope of our specialized ultrasound business into adjacent, high-growth market segments. We are leveraging our existing technology as well as our sales and service infrastructure to penetrate this exciting new market.”
Michael Brock, president of BK Medical, said, “The Flex Focus 400 Anaesthesia is a logical extension of our successful Flex Focus family of mobile ultrasound systems.
“Its monitor is nearly twice the size of other anaesthesia ultrasound systems on the market and, for regional anaesthesia, a bigger, clearer image can make a difference in identifying nerve structures and visualizing needle placement.”
The system features scanner control through the transducer, enabling the anaesthestist to switch between transducers, freeze and unfreeze images, and store images and clips without being in close proximity to the scanner. In addition, the easy-to-use keyboard control is straightforward with no extraneous controls.
Issue: June 2010
