Technology That Will Change the World: Hemoaccess Valve System®
Hemoaccess Valve System®
Steve Johnson, CreatiVasc
When you live in a region with the highest per capita rate of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), you see first-hand the need for improvements to dialysis. Nearly 10 years ago, nationally-recognized vascular surgeon Dr. David Cull envisioned a new system to improve the hemodialysis market, which had seen little innovation for over 40 years. Now, Steve Johnson and the CreatiVasc team are bringing his technology to life with the Hemoaccess Valve System, a valve system that replaces traditional grafts implanted in the arm for blood draw. The new valve allows blood flow to be selectively turned off and on through the tube as necessary for treatment, reducing complication risks. A five-year study showed 77 percent of grafts fail after the first year, usually due to clotting or interference with satisfactory blood flow to the arm, hand and fingers. Even with the use of multiple blood-thinning agents, the numbers still reflect a 72 percent failure rate, showing only a minimal impact from pharmaceutical therapy. The Hemoaccess Valve, however, does not permanently redirect blood flow through the Teflon graft but instead permits natural blood flow through the arm with an exception to the 3-4 hours per day, three times per week as required for dialysis treatments. "It's an entirely different way of addressing a universal problem with ESRD patients," says Johnson. "With the new valve system, we reduce complication risks not with pharmaceutical dependence but with a mechanical alteration." The market forecasts show a growing need for the Hemoaccess Valve, predicting a 6-7 percent annual growth in ESRD dialysis cases at an estimated cost of $65,937 annually per patient or $26 billion per year nationwide. Increased incidences of ESRD are expected throughout the US and internationally due to an aging population, an increased prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, and a growing trend of adolescent obesity. The finished device is FDA-approved for first-in-human trials, which are currently underway. Three patients have been implanted to date with another nine planned for the next six months.
For more information, go online to www.creativasc.com.