Clinically proven to double the rate of healing in chronic
wounds, the geko™ device is now even more widely available and easy
to order.
HIGH WYCOMBE, England, May 1, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- UK-based medical device manufacturer Firstkind
Ltd, a subsidiary of Sky Medical Technology Ltd, today announced
the geko device is available through the UK NHS Supply Chain. The
Supply Chain manages the sourcing, delivery and supply of
healthcare products and services for NHS trusts and healthcare
organisations across England and
Wales.
This listing further expands the supply channels available to
the NHS when ordering the geko device - an effective, needed
treatment for patients across the UK suffering from hard-to-heal
wounds and means that wound care settings, NHS staff, publicly
funded organisations and hospitals can now more easily purchase
this highly effective therapy.
What is the geko device?
Simple to use, the geko device is a small, self-adhesive,
wearable neuromuscular electro stimulator that is applied to the
surface of the skin just below the knee, over the head of the
fibula bone. It delivers a gentle electrical pulse, once per second
to the common peroneal nerve, activating the calf and foot muscle
pumps, increasing venous, arterial and microvascular
flow1, thus transporting oxygenated blood to the wound
bed and edge to accelerate wound healing2 - effectively
replicating the effects of exercise1.
Clinically proven
The International Wound Journal (IWJ) recently published the
landmark multi-centre randomised self-controlled trial (RCT)
showing the positive effects of adding geko devices to the care
pathway2. The study compared standard of care (SoC) with
and without the geko device in patients with hard-to-heal venous
leg ulcers (VLUs) and reports an acceleration in the rate of
healing by more than double in patients treated with the geko
device versus SoC alone - bringing new hope to patients suffering
long-standing chronic wounds.
The results also show the geko device is well tolerated with 94%
patient concordance. The study adds to the body of evidence
demonstrating the geko device improves both patient outcomes and
quality of life, while providing a positive reduction in the
environmental impact of patient care and a substantial cost saving
to the NHS 3,4, 5, 6, 7.
"We're delighted to be listed on the NHS Supply Chain,"
said Bernard Ross, CEO and Founder
of Sky Medical Technology. "Our mission is to end the misery of
hard-to-heal wounds and to transform patient lives. Key to this is
ensuring the geko device is widely available and easy to order,
allowing wound care clinicians to direct their precious time and
resources to patient care."
The burden of chronic wounds
Approximately 3.8 million adults in the UK suffer with a
wound8. Many are hard-to-heal and, despite following
best practice, wound healing can be prolonged or often never
achieved8. Patients experience pain, anxiety, altered
body image and isolation, leaving many without hope of improvement,
suffering wound infections and recurrence.
The financial burden of non-healing wounds on hard pressed
healthcare systems is also huge, higher than for cancer and
cardiovascular disease. The annual NHS cost to manage wounds is
£8.3 billion annually8. An estimated 85% of wound care
costs relate to nursing and home visits rather than the wound
dressing itself9. Through doubling the rate of wound
healing, compelling cost consequence data* shows the geko device
reduces both nurse home visits and wound dressings use, releasing
significant NHS cost savings and a reduced carbon footprint -
alongside a corresponding increase of quality-adjusted life years
(QALYs).
Fiona Young, Wound Therapy
Business Director at Firstkind Ltd, comments: "Introducing
change to clinical practice and new models of care is the greatest
opportunity we have to reduce NHS costs and carbon emissions.
"The transformative geko device delivers on both these
fronts. Through its faster wound healing and empowering patients to
self-care and share-their-care with family members and healthcare
professionals - in the home setting - the geko device optimises
wound care pathways, reducing nurse travel, products used and waste
generated. Now with this wider access, through the NHS Supply
Chain, geko device ease of ordering will further help NHS wound
care nurses reduce the time managing wounds."
*About to be published.
- ENDS -
How to order the geko device
The geko device NHSSC ordering code is: ELZ85067. If using the
NHS Supply Chain catalogue, you can find it using keywords: geko
W-3. For queries related to purchasing the geko device in the
UK, please contact: geko.support@firstkindmedical.com
References
- Tucker A, Maass A, Bain D, et al. Augmentation of venous,
arterial and microvascular blood supply in the leg by isometric
neuromuscular stimulation via the peroneal nerve. Int J Angiol.
2010;19(1):e31-e37
- Bull R, et al. The impact of a new intervention for venous leg
ulcers: A within-patient controlled trial. Int Wound J. 2023;1–9.
DOI: 10.1111/iwj.14107.
- Das S et al. Int Wound J 2021; 18(2): 187-93
- Das S et al. J Wound Care 2021; 30(2): 151-5.
- Bosanquet et al. Microcirculatory Flux and Pulsatility in
Arterial Leg Ulcers is Increased by Intermittent Neuromuscular
Electrostimulation of the Common Peroneal Nerve. Vasc Surg 2021;
71: 308-14.
- Harris C et al. Evaluation of a muscle pump-activating device
for non-healing venous leg ulcers Int Wound J 2017; 14:
1189–98.
- Harris C et al. Using a muscle pump activator device to
stimulate healing for non–healing lower leg wounds in long–term
care residents. Int Wound J 2019; 16: 266–74
- Guest JF, Fuller GW, Vowden P. Cohort study evaluating the
burden of wounds to the UK's National Health Service in 2017/2018:
update from 2012/2013. BMJ Open. 2020 Dec
22;10(12):e045253. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045253.
PMID:
- Lindholm C, et al. Wound management for the 21st century:
combining effectiveness and efficiency. Int Wound J. 2016
Jul; 13(Suppl 2): 5–15. Published online 2016 Jul
27. doi: 10.1111/iwj.12623.
About the geko device
The patented geko device is a wearable neuromuscular
electrostimulation therapy which has been FDA cleared and NICE
approved for specific applications. The size of a wrist-watch and
worn at the knee, the geko device gently stimulates the common
peroneal nerve activating the calf and foot muscle pumps, resulting
in increased blood flow in the deep veins of the calf - at a rate
equal to 60% of walking3 without a patient having to
move. The blood flow volume and velocity increase prevents blood
pooling and clotting, treats and prevents trauma-based and
post-operative oedema and in chronic wound care improves
microcirculatory blood flow, delivering oxygen to leg ulcer sites
to promote wound healing: www.gekodevices.com
About Firstkind and Sky Medical Technology Ltd
Sky Medical Technology, the parent of Firstkind Ltd, is a
UK-based medical devices company. Through its innovative
mechanism of neuromuscular electrostimulation, Sky has developed a
non-invasive, ground-breaking technology platform, OnPulse™,
embedded in its industry-leading brand, the geko device. Sky's
products are tailored to different medical application areas,
selling through strategic partnerships or distributors in each
major clinical area. Clinical areas of focus include life
threatening blood clots, complications related to swelling after
orthopaedic surgery and vascular conditions related to wound
healing. The goal in each pathway is to partner with healthcare
professionals to improve clinical outcomes and patient care whilst
saving health system resources. www.skymedtech.com
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