Mölnlycke Health Care has strengthened its negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) offering by launching Avance Solo, a single patient use, true NPWT system with variable pressure settings, initially across the United Kingdom.
Designed by Mölnlycke Health Care’s collaboration partner within NPWT, Medela AG, Avance Solo weighs only 400 grams, making it both easy to use and portable. It can easily be carried or worn in a discreet manner, giving patients greater flexibility, mobility and comfort. With this small, easy-to-use system, patients can be discharged quickly from the hospital, continuing their treatment at home for up to 60 days. These features help improve efficiencies for both patients and healthcare providers when compared to using larger, less mobile negative pressure systems.
NPWT is an effective treatment for healing acute or chronic wounds. For many patients, however, there are also a number of physical and psychological side effects associated with prolonged treatment. These can also have a negative impact on patients’ quality of life.
In a recent review of patients’ experiences undergoing NPWT, published in The Journal of Wound Care, Professor Dominic Upton found that 63% of patients reported pain associated with the application and removal of dressings. More than 30% of patients reported increased anxiety levels, particularly at the start of their treatment, due partly to an anticipation of pain. Spouses and partners also reported increased stress levels for these same reasons.
Avance Solo is designed to be used together with Mölnlycke Health Care’s Avance Film with Safetac Technology, Mepiseal and Mepitel wound contact layer. Using these products in conjunction with Avance Solo helps to significantly reduce unnecessary patient suffering during dressing changes.
Steve Atlay, global business director for NPWT, said: “Complementing our existing NPWT offering with a single patient use system demonstrates our innovation capabilities in a global market estimated to be worth over €1billion. Following a successful launch in the UK, we are also targeting launches across other selected markets during 2014.
“By combining our Safetac Technology with an easy-to use and portable system, patients now have access to true negative pressure therapy in their home and on the go, without having to experience the unnecessary pain and suffering otherwise associated with this form of treatment.”
