12 Jun UK Stroke expert leads Saudi visit to showcase how our award-winning geko® device is transforming UK clinical practice in post-stroke venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention.
A global benchmark for stroke care is going international – and leading the charge is Dr. Indira Natarajan, sharing real-world success with the geko® device.
Dr. Indira Natarajan, Consultant Stroke Physician and Clinical Director for Neurosciences at Royal Stoke University Hospital (RSUH), recently completed a pioneering five-day tour across Saudi Arabia. His objective: to share how our award-winning geko device is transforming UK clinical practice in post-stroke venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention.
Over the course of 11 hospital visits across Riyadh and Jeddah, Dr. Natarajan presented real-world clinical outcomes from RSUH, one of the UK’s leading stroke units. The tour included dedicated seminars and hands-on discussions with ICU teams at some of Saudi Arabia’s foremost hospitals.
Addressing a Critical Challenge: VTE in Stroke Care
VTE — including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism — remains a leading cause of preventable hospital deaths and long-term disability. Around half of all cases are linked to hospital admissions.
Traditional prophylaxis methods aren’t always tolerated by immobile stroke patients — creating an urgent need for alternatives. That’s where the geko device comes in.
The geko device is a small, wearable neuromuscular electrostimulation therapy that stimulates the common peroneal nerve to activate the calf and foot muscle pumps, increasing blood flow in the deep veins — replicating the physiological benefit of walking for immobile patients.
Real-World Evidence, Real-World Results
At RSUH, our device was studied in a cohort of 1,000 acute stroke patients. Of these, 203 were either intolerant of or contraindicated to intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC). No patients experienced a VTE event within 90 days post-discharge when managed with the geko device. By contrast, 2.4% of patients using IPC developed a VTE.
Patient feedback was equally encouraging — over 90% reported positive tolerance to the geko device.
This data led to Dr. Natarajan and his team receiving the 2025 National VTE Award from Thrombosis UK, recognising his leadership in driving innovation adoption and improving outcomes. Since then, over 20 NHS stroke units have adopted the geko device into clinical practice. Our data is also under further evaluation in a UK multi-centre randomized controlled trial (RCT).
Fostering Global Collaboration
Dr. Natarajan’s visit to Saudi Arabia served as a platform for international engagement. Stroke and ICU teams at institutions including King Faisal Specialist Hospital, King Fahad Medical City, and King Abdulaziz Medical City took part in dynamic discussions exploring integration pathways for the geko device into their own practice.
“The geko device has helped fill a significant unmet treatment gap in stroke care,” said Dr. Natarajan. “It was a privilege to share our journey with clinical teams in Saudi Arabia, and I’m inspired by their enthusiasm for driving forward best practice.”
Our Perspective: Scaling Innovation Across Borders
Dr. Natarajan’s international advocacy aligns with our mission at Sky — to accelerate access to proven, evidence-led innovation that provides better patient outcomes.
“Dr. Natarajan’s leadership in bringing the geko device beyond borders exemplifies the clinical momentum behind our technology,” said Bernard Ross, CEO and Founder of Sky Medical Technology. “The Saudi visit is a milestone in our global strategy — not only are we helping clinicians address critical care challenges, but we’re also making significant commercial inroads across key international markets.”
About the Geko Device
Our geko device is a wearable, self-adhesive neuromuscular electrostimulation therapy, approved for VTE prevention, oedema reduction, and chronic wound healing. It is particularly suited for patients who cannot tolerate traditional drug, mechanical prophylaxis and compression and is being rapidly adopted into clinical pathways around the world.
From Stoke to Saudi Arabia, the geko device is setting a new standard in stroke and ICU care — proving that innovation, when powered by real-world results and clinical collaboration, knows no borders.
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