MEDIVATORS Inc. and Edison Nation Medical Search for New Medical Invention Ideas to Improve Detection of Lower Gastrointestinal Diseases; Search Concludes Jan. 20, 2014
Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) November 25, 2013 -- MEDIVATORS Inc., a leading medical device manufacturer with more than 30 years in endoscopy product and technology development, and Edison Nation Medical, a medical device incubator and online resource for people interested in healthcare innovation, are conducting a worldwide innovation search for new products that improve detection of lower gastrointestinal (GI) conditions or diseases.
The natural anatomy of the colon coupled with inadequate bowel preparation can make it difficult for a physician to accurately diagnose a patient’s condition. MEDIVATORS and Edison Nation Medical are looking for new products—or improvements to existing ones—that enhance visibility of and maneuverability within the colon so a physician can access more of the colon’s surfaces. Innovations may include, but are not limited to, endoscopes, endoscope accessories, valves, tubing, traps, connectors, vacuums and bowel preparation.
"Innovation could be extremely beneficial at any stage of the process to detect and treat lower gastrointestinal issues, from advance bowel preparation to the actual procedure to cleaning and reprocessing the instruments," said Don Byrne, president of the MEDIVATORS endoscopy business group. "Our ultimate goal is to improve screening procedures so that more people undergo essential testing and that detection capabilities are refined in order for physicians to identify a potential problem during early-stage disease when it is most treatable."
In general, the American Cancer Society suggests that adults undergo a colon screening examination, such as a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy, beginning at age 50 to detect polyps or cancer. A 2012 study indicated that doctors often miss at least one precancerous growth in about one-third of patients who were not properly prepared for their colonoscopy. These polyps and other cancer markers were not discovered until months later when the patients had their next colonoscopy. Furthermore, the findings suggested that if inadequate procedure preparation is impeding the examination, the physician should stop the colonoscopy and reschedule, adding undue time before potential diagnoses can be made.
"The colon is an approximately 5-foot long, U-shaped section of the large intestine. The folds throughout the organ make it challenging for physicians to locate polyps or lesions," said Bob Mosher, senior vice-president of marketing at MEDIVATORS. "We see great potential in patient care in finding new instrumentation ideas that improve visibility and maneuverability during these screenings."
Conditions and diseases detected with lower GI examinations include, but are not limited to, colorectal cancer, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, ulcerative colitis, clostridium difficelle (C diff.) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with colorectal cancer carrying the most risk.
Excluding skin cancer, colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women combined. The remaining aforementioned conditions, with the exception of diverticulosis, are characterized by inflammation of the colon. They can all be painful conditions and some may require a lifetime of medication and lifestyle modification. Diverticulosis is characterized by pouches that form in the colon and is a precursor to diverticulitis.
Anyone may submit ideas to the search's confidential portal at http://www.EdisonNationMedical.com/medivators through Jan. 20, 2014. The best ideas will be designed, developed and licensed by Edison Nation Medical, which then splits licensing royalties 50/50 with successful inventors. MEDIVATORS will work to commercialize the relevant concepts. Individuals pay a $25 submission fee for each idea. There is no limit to the number of ideas an inventor may submit. Edison Nation Medical absorbs all further research and development costs.
Edison Nation Medical provides a clear pathway for anyone with a new medical invention idea—doctors, nurses, technicians, patients, caregivers—to get their idea to market without encountering the traditional barriers to entry, which include time, money, expertise and access.
"We are excited to launch this lower GI search with an industry leader such as MEDIVATORS, particularly because of the potential it holds to improve the tests necessary to identify lower gastrointestinal issues," said Robert Grajewski, president of Edison Nation Medical. "I am confident that by inviting the public at large to submit new solutions that we will identify innovative product ideas that will truly improve patient outcomes and experiences."
About MEDIVATORS Inc.
MEDIVATORS Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cantel Medical Corp. (NYSE:CMN), is a leading provider of endoscopy disease detection and infection prevention products and services to physicians, nurses and technicians. MEDIVATORS offers a comprehensive range of procedural disposables including pre-cancerous polyp detection products, and medical device reprocessing systems, disinfectants, detergents and other supplies for endoscopy. MEDIVATORS products improve patient outcomes and safely increase department productivity.
For more information on the company, please visit http://www.medivators.com.
About Edison Nation Medical
Edison Nation Medical is a medical device incubator and health care innovation portal with deep product development and medical expertise. A collaboration between Carolinas HealthCare System, one of the nation’s leading health care systems, and Edison Nation, prolific product developer and online social community for inventors, Edison Nation Medical’s mission is to create more effective, efficient and safer health care through innovation by breaking down traditional barriers and providing an easy way for new medical product inventions to come to life.
Edison Nation Medical is based in Charlotte, N.C. For more information on the company, please visit http://www.EdisonNationMedical.com.
Blake Leggett Marler, Edison Nation Medical, http://www.EdisonNationMedical.com, +1 704-405-0713, [email protected]
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