As always, there has been plenty happening across the health tech community. Here, we look at some of the stories that have caught our eye this week.
Royal Liverpool University Hospital conducts study investigating healthcare associated infections
The Royal Liverpool University Hospital has launched a study to explore how antimicrobial coating can help protect the NHS in reducing healthcare associated infections (HAIs).
A new type of antimicrobial film coating has been developed by vacuum coating solutions specialist Gencoa, with the aim of quickly eliminating environmental contamination between cleaning.
£584,006 has been awarded in funding by Innovate UK as part of the BioMedical Catalyst Award to the partnership between Genoca, LSTM and LUHFT, to optimise their coating for use in healthcare environments and gather real world data on efficacy and safety in clinical environments. Antimicrobial coatings are to be installed in places such as touchscreens and door handles.
The coatings will be in place for 12 months and will be analysed on how they are executed under the NHS Infection Prevention and Control guidance for cleaning. Alongside this, testing will be carried out at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in a mock ward to investigate changes to clinical cleaning pathways.
Lister Hospital trials a robotic surgery process
Lister Hospital has trialled a new robotic surgery process for a patient undergoing a full hysterectomy.
CMR Surgical’s Versius was used for the operation, with Consultant Gynaecology and Obstetrics Surgeon Rami Atalla behind the controls of the robotic surgery process.
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, which oversees Lister Hospital, was an early adopter of the process which began in the urology department in 2008. The trust now has three robots across four specialties.
Surgeon Mr Atalla said: “It is easy to use, with the surgical instruments wristed at the tip – mimicking the movements of my own hands. This allows for greater precision and better outcomes. The surgery is also less invasive for our patients which… means quicker recovery times.”
East Suffolk and North Essex invests in new lithotripter
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust has invested in a new lithotripsy treatment at Colchester Hospital to break down kidney stones. Aiming to be non-invasive, the technology will break down the stones using sound waves.
The sound waves and pressure waves will work to break up the stone or turn them into dust or small fragments which the patient can then pass in their urine.
Sam Datta, a consultant urological surgeon and Clinical Director for urological and vascular surgery at ESNEFT, said: “Having a new fixed-site lithotripter is a huge benefit for patients as it offers more effective treatment and there’s no need for an operation, which in some cases can be more than one operation if a patient has multiple stones.”
Gosh delivers treatment for ‘incurable’ T-cells
A patient enrolled at a clinical trial at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH) is said to be “the first reported patient in the world” to receive base-edited T-cells to treat her leukaemia.
GOSH is working in collaboration with UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health to create a new type of CAR T-cell therapy that is able to attack cancerous T-cells. They are using a new genome editing technique called base-editing to chemically convert single letters of DNA code to change the T-cells. The patient received genetically modified CAR-T cells that originally came from a healthy donor.
If the trial is successful, it is hoped that the treatment can be offered to other children.
Professor Waseem Qasim, Professor of Cell and Gene Therapy at UCL GOS ICH and Consultant Immunologist at Gosh, said: “This is a great demonstration of how, with expert teams and infrastructure, we can link cutting edge technologies in the lab with real results in the hospital for patients. It’s our most sophisticated cell engineering so far and paves the way for other new treatments and ultimately better futures for sick children. ”
Frimley Health introduce dementia clocks
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is piloting a dementia clock scheme with patients at Wexham Park Hospital to improve patient care and experience.
The aim of the clocks is to help remind patients of the day, week, month and time of day, along with providing reminders to hydrate and take medication.
Clinical Matron Carlito Mejia described how the entire care of the elderly team has been involved in planning and preparing for the pilot. She added that the clocks are designed to help people with dementia to “remain organised and feel in control of their daily activities. This, in turn, helps them to keep routines on track which can reduce anxiety and agitation.”
The trial is being funded by the ward charity, with the Frimley Health Charity also running a major appeal to help their dementia patients with an aim of raising £850,000.
