Medela: NICE Recommends Thopaz+ Portable, Digital System for Managing Chest Drains

PR73070

BAAR, Switzerland, April 13, 2018 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

    - In multiple clinical trials patients with the Thopaz+ chest drainage

system have had shorter chest tube placements and also shorter hospital stays

than patients with conventional chest drains.     

    - Chest surgery typically requires the insertion of a thin plastic tube

into the space between the organs and the chest wall. Chest tubes are painful

as the tissues in that area are very sensitive.

    - The NICE resource impact assessment shows that, at a national level,

adopting Thopaz+is expected to save around GBP8.5 million per year in England.

    The United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

(NICE) has issued a medical technology guidance recommending Thopaz+ (Medela AG

Switzerland) for managing chest drains. NICE concluded: "The case for adopting

Thopaz+ for managing chest drains is supported by the evidence. Thopaz+ can

reduce drainage time and length of stay in hospital, and improves safety for

people with chest drains. Its use may also improve clinical decision-making

through continuous, objective monitoring of air leaks and fluid loss."

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/676364/Medela_Thopaz_Chest_Drain.jpg )

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/676365/Medela_Logo.jpg )

    Chest surgery typically requires the insertion of a thin plastic tube

(chest drain) into the space between the organs and the chest wall. Chest tubes

are painful as the pleural space and mediastinum are very sensitive sites.

Patients require regular pain relief for comfort, and to allow them to complete

physiotherapy or mobilisation.

    "We are delighted NICE and the Appraisal Committee has reached this

decision. The positive conclusion is testament to the value, cost-effectiveness

and innovation Thopaz+ brings to the chest drainage paradigm," says Paul

Furlong, Managing Director for Medela in the UK.

    Thopaz+ is a portable chest drain and digital monitoring system that

applies negative pressure as needed and continuously monitors air leakage and

fluid drainage. In its internationally recognized independent role to provide

evidence-based guidance on health and social care, NICE states that Thopaz+

should especially be considered for people who need chest drainage after

pulmonary resection or due to a pneumothorax.

    The main benefits behind the use of Thopaz+, as confirmed by NICE's

guidance, are a shorter drainage time and a shorter length of stay in hospitals

following pulmonary resection. By case, a reduced length of stay in hospital of

up to 1.5 days (average 0.4 days) and estimated cost savings of GBP111 per

patient per hospital stay were calculated.

    "We anticipate that where Thopaz+ is used to manage chest drains there will

be a reduced length of stay in hospital. This will allow providers to better

utilise beds," concludes the external assessment centre (EAC).

    Medela is the leading manufacturer of chest drainage systems in Europe and

is pleased by NICE's recognition of the Thopaz+ digital chest drain system.

    National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an independent

organization recognized internationally as a role model for providing

evidence-based guidance on health and social care, aims to reduce variation in

the availability and quality of NHS treatments and care. NICE is at the

vanguard of developing evidence based clinical practice.

    Please click here

[https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg37/resources/thopaz-portable-digital-system

-for-managing-chest-drains-pdf-64372000350661 ] to read and download the full

NICE guideline for the use of Thopaz+.

    About Medela

    Medela concentrates on two business units: "Human Milk", with basic

research recognised globally and leading in the development and manufacture of

breastfeeding products and solutions, and "Healthcare", engineering and

manufacturing highly innovative medical vacuum technology solutions. In 2007,

Medela Healthcare launched the Thopaz cardiothoracic drainage system, followed

by the launch of Thopaz+ in 2014.

    Media Contact:

    anja.zoellner@medela.ch

    Burson-Marsteller: daniela.suter@bm.com

    +41-444558425

SOURCE: Medela