Phase One Medical Announces New Patent Issued for Distal Locking Hemodialysis Catheter System
September 27, 2011
HINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Phase One Medical, LLC announced today the issuance of the first in a family of patents for closing the distal end of a hemodialysis catheter. The United States patent 8,007,488 provides multiple methods for closing the distal end of a catheter upon completing a hemodialysis session.
“We are delighted to receive this initial patent for our catheter locking technology,” said Adrian Ravenscroft, a partner of Phase One Medical. “Offering the potential for long-term product exclusivity in the sizable hemodialysis market, this patent adds tremendous value and importance to Phase One Medical’s Intellectual property portfolio.”
Approximately 400,000 patients in the United States receive hemodialysis three times a week. Hemodialysis requires access to a patient’s vascular system and it is estimated that up to 30% of patients receive their vascular access through the use of chronic hemodialysis catheters. Historical clinical problems associated with the use of chronic hemodialysis catheters include infection, intraluminal thrombosis, distal tip occlusion and complications caused by loss of catheter lock solutions.
The design elements of this “locking” catheter will give physicians, nurses and technicians who administer dialysis to chronic catheter patients the unprecedented ability to seal or “lock” the tip of the catheter when appropriate. This feature, among its many other benefits, will allow clinicians to add and remove catheter lock solutions without fear of the solution migrating into the systemic circulation.
“It is our intention to provide clinicians and patients with a chronic catheter that keeps blood out of the catheter lumens and lock solutions in during the critical two day period when a catheter is not in use. We believe this will lead to a reduction in catheter related infections and significantly improved catheter patency,” said Don Woods, a partner of Phase One Medical. “We are all very excited as this catheter has the promise to create a new and significantly higher standard of hemodialysis care for chronic catheter patients.”
About Phase One Medical
Phase One Medical is a privately held medical device research and development company. The company is focused on early stage development and small part design and manufacture. For more information on Phase One Medical, LLC products and services e-mail the company at info@phase-one.us.