OMAHA, Neb. (Aug. 22, 2016)— UNeMed Corporation entered into a formal licensing agreement with Getinge Group for the use of a University of Nebraska Medical Center technology that will help health care providers detect pleural air leaks in patients with chest tubes, officials announced today.
“We at Getinge Group are excited to partner with UNeMed to further develop their innovative air leak technology. The technology is perfect fit with our market leading chest drainage products and our mission to improve patient outcomes,” said Jens Viebke, President of the Acute Care Therapies division of Getinge Group.
The device, invented by chief resident of UNMC’s surgery department, Dimitrios Miserlis, M.D., is a collection of sensors that fits into existing chest tube drainage systems. The Acute Care Therapies division of Getinge Group specializes in instruments and implants for cardiovascular surgery, anesthesia equipment and ventilators, as well as advanced products for the minimally invasive treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and will look to further develop the UNMC invention for use in its existing line of Atrium chest drainage products.
When a patient suffers serious injury to the chest, a tube is used to remove fluid that often builds up in the pleural space—the area between the lungs and the surrounding protective membrane or pleura.
Air will often leak from the lungs into the pleural space, a common and expected complication with chest trauma and drainage tubes. Leaks usually lead to increases in recovery times, hospital stays and costs because detecting them is an uncertain and subjective process.
Frustrated with the process, Dr. Miserlis worked with his friend, Kim Cluff, who was at the time an engineering graduate student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Cluff is now an assistant professor at Wichita State University.
They came up with Pleuraleak, a unique system that effectively determines if a patient has an air leak, quantifies the magnitude and changes of the leak, and monitors lung healing.
About Getinge Group:
Getinge Group is a leading global provider of innovative solutions for operating rooms, intensive-care units, hospital wards, sterilization departments, elderly care and for life science companies and institutions. With a genuine passion for life we build quality and safety into every system. Our unique value proposition mirrors the continuum of care, enhancing efficiency throughout the clinical pathway. Based on our first-hand experience and close partnerships, we are able to exceed expectations from customers – improving the every-day life for people, today and tomorrow.
