Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) Product for Wound Dressing
Gambro launched the CATHcarry (pdf), for patients who receive dialysis peritoneally and require daily, ongoing care of their exit site. The CATHcarry is an exit site dressing, which offers additional benefits over existing dressing products. The product launch was detailed on the organization’s website.
The product is manufactured from waterproof, breathable material that is thin. These characteristics allow patients to shower more conveniently. The CATHcarry design includes a transparent window, which allows the exit site to be inspected at any time without requiring removal of the dressing. The dressing is easy to apply and remove and does not require additional materials such as adhesives. The catheter for dialysis has a pre-cut slot, which helps to tightly fix the catheter position.
The all-in-one nature of the product fosters improved exit site care. It also empowers patients to take better care of the site themselves, requiring less ongoing support from healthcare providers. Patients who participated in the clinical trial to evaluate the product expressed an interest in continuing to use it once launched.
For those patients who receive peritoneal dialysis (PD), an alternative to traditional dialysis, patients have permanently placed catheters in the abdomen. The point where the catheter leaves the body is called the exit site. Exit site care is an important component of ongoing maintenance and self-care for those patients, ensuring that they can continue to receive treatment in this manner.
Two key components of ongoing exit site care include daily inspection of the site and anchoring the catheter to minimize the likelihood catheter pulling or displacement. Both of these can be accomplished with the CATHcarry.
Gambro solicited input from PD patients and nurses to help develop the product. The company plans to launch the product in October of this year, first targeting the European market. It will then be launched in other area of the world.
Release of this product coincides with a recent report in JAMA, which provides preliminary evidence that at-home dialysis may offer patients improved outcomes with respect to conditions secondary to their diabetes. An overview of that article was published last week on Hospital Buyer.
September 21, 2007 Related topics: Product Launches, Hygiene & Cleanliness, Renal & Urology