Field:

Urology

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Description:

The Sweeper-U is an anti-retropulsion Device  for  Stone Particles Filtration and Entrapment  during pneumatic and laser ureterolithotripsy and Percutaneous Nephrolithotripsy.

 

Laser or pneumatic lithotripsy are used for stone disintegration during these procedures. The inflowing water during these procedures cause stone particles migration toward the upper ureter and renal calyces. Some of these particles are expulsed spontaneously and some remain in the renal calyces, especially in the lower calyces and become the nidus for new stone formations.

For preventing such migration several baskets and anti-retropulsion devices are used.

Innoventions developed a novel device and a method for rapid and low cost production process for the device that can be easily manufactured and modified for capturing and removing stone particles of various sizes during lithotripsy procedures. With one of the models capturing “dust” during laser lithotripsy also will be possible.

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Need:

Uretero-lithotripsy is a common first line treatment for ureteral stones that fail to pass spontaneously and a second line treatment  after SWL failure.

Uretero-lithotripsy instruments are based on pneumatic, electrohydraulic or laser energy. These procedures are done under-vision during continuous flow of irrigation fluid to obtain a clear visual field but also causing stone retropulsion.

This cephalad movement of stone fragments toward the upper ureter or kidney remains a concern.  Such migration may lead to increased operative time to capture retropulsed stone fragments and increased secondary procedures.  

Preventing stone retropulsion in more rapid stone fragmentation and increases fragmentation efficiency and better results.

 

Advantages:

Possibility of capturing and removing large and small stone fragments as well as the “dust” of laser lithotripsy.

 

Slight modifications of the device can be done for its use  in the GI tract, for removing stones from the common bile duct.

 

The current 2.8F profile of the device that can be reduced further for adapting its use in various angiographic procedures for capturing embolic particles.

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R&D status:

Several Prototypes produced
 

IP status:

Patent Pending

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Business opportunity:

According to data published by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, each year nearly half a million people visit emergency rooms and 3 million go to health care providers for kidney stone problems in the U.S. creating a significant economic burden of over US$ 5.0 Bn. Treatment of kidney stone includes several procedures such as shock wave lithotripsy (SWL), endoscopic lithotripsy (ureteroscopy), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), and others. Ureteroscopic lithotripsy is a commonly used first line of treatment for ureteral stones which fail to pass spontaneously or failed SWL.

Despite several technological advancements in ureteroscopy procedures, retropulsion or stone migration is one of the major complications that leads to increased operative time and cost. Anti-retropulsion devices are used to prevent stone migration during ureteroscopic lithotripsy.

Rise in prevalence rates of urinary tract stones and cost effectiveness of anti-retropulsion devices in ureteroscopic lithotripsy when retropulsion rate is equal to or higher than 6.3% are projected to augment the global anti-retropulsion devices market.

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