26 Oct The geko™ device at Let’s Talk Clots
This year’s Let’s Talk Clots virtual conference, hosted by Thrombosis UK, as part of World Thrombosis Day, was attended by more than 1,500 healthcare professionals (HCPs) from around the world looking to learn more about developments in thrombosis prevention and care.
Over the three-day event, G&N – our UK distributors of the geko™ device for VTE prevention – represented our virtual booth where attendees stopped by to live chat and learn more about the geko™ device and its applications. On the final day, Dr Indira Natarajan, our clinical partner and senior stroke physician at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, led a session on the geko™ device and its role in VTE prevention for acute stroke patients.
Extending the reach of life-saving MedTech
G&N was on-hand to speak directly with front-line healthcare staff who stopped by the virtual booth to learn more about the geko™ device and real-world data generated by Dr Natarajan. The geko™ device booth was one of sixteen, alongside leading clinical bodies, MedTech and pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer Alliance, Thrombosis UK, World Thrombosis Day, and Clinical Leaders in Thrombosis (CLOTs UK).
Our participation was an excellent opportunity to spread the word on geko™ and its benefits for both patients and healthcare professionals – as well as a wider international audience of HCPs now keen to access the device and the handrail of support for adoption – a process that can be rapid. The geko™ device has global regulatory approvals, including NICE guidance and US FDA 510(k) clearances for both surgical and non-surgical VTE prevention.
A successful symposium
Speaking to an engaged audience of healthcare professionals, Dr Natarajan discussed the 1,000 patient data set, generated by his team at The Royal Stoke University. The observational audit of clinical practice determined that approximately 30 percent of acute stroke patients are contraindicated or become unable to tolerate current standard of care.
Intermittent pneumatic compressions (IPC) – a boot like cuff that inflates and deflates to move blood – is the recommended standard of care for VTE prevention . IPC, however, is unsuitable for patients with vascular disease, fragile skin or leg trauma, leaving these patients with no VTE prophylaxis.
The Royal Stoke 30 percent unmet need finding is aligned to the CLOTS3 study that reports that patients immediately contraindicated to IPC and patients who become intolerant of IPC could be exposed to a VTE risk of up to 8.7 percent, requiring the need for a meaningful alternative mechanical intervention.
The Royal Stoke University’s audit data showed that, of 463 patients prescribed IPC, 11 patients (2.4 percent) suffered a VTE event. Of the 203 patients prescribed the geko™ device, no incidence of VTE was reported 90 days post discharge. Dr Natarajan explained the geko™ device is now adopted into routine clinical practice across his acute stroke units when IPC cannot be prescribed and ensures that all his patients can now receive post-stroke VTE prevention.
The session closed with a Q&A led by Thrombosis UK CEO, Jo Jerrome. When asked how well patients tolerate the geko™ device, Dr Natarajan concluded that the device is well tolerated overall and the team at Royal Stoke have received excellent feedback from patients, adding it gives them more freedom as an alternative to IPC.
You can watch Dr Natarajan’s presentation via the Let’s Talk Clots platform.
The recording will remain accessible within the LTC platform until 30 November 2022.
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