Covid-19 pandemic sparks clinician interest in NZ-created wrist fracture treatment

A new treatment device for broken wrists, Zero-Cast Wx, developed in New Zealand by surgeon Dr Pranesh Kumar (North Shore, Auckland), has attracted significant interest from patients and doctors around the world looking for ways to provide safer patient contact in the COVID-19 world.

Zero-Cast Wx offers a more patient-friendly, comfortable, less expensive treatment for fractured wrists (distal radius fractures).

The rapid patient fitting of a Zero-Cast device contrasts with the lengthy application and removal times associated with traditional plaster cast treatments. This means that Zero-Cast patients spend significantly shorter time visiting hospitals or clinics.

Doctors and rehabilitation therapists have significantly increased telemedicine consultations during Covid-19 (for example, FaceTime or Zoom). Plus, healthcare has adapted to allow monitoring of some patients and their rehabilitation via telemedicine. Zero-Cast’s open design allows online visual check-ups between patient and clinician, whereas the current treatment (plaster and fibreglass casting) needs to be cut-off in the hospital prior to a visual or X-ray check-up.

Leading healthcare specialists around the globe have highlighted these changes to care-delivery. There is a focus on minimizing patient exposure to the ‘risky’ hospital and clinic environment during Covid-19. This has been highlighted in numerous articles.1

Grappling with the severe impact of Covid-19 in New York city, Columbia University (in Manhattan, New York) has announced a clinical study to examine how Zero-Cast can provide improved outcomes to patients treated for wrist fractures by specialists at New York Presbyterian Hospital. This clinical study will be led by Professor Melvin Rosenwasser, Professor of Surgery of the Hand in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Professor of Surgery at the Columbia University Medical Center.

“The Zero-Cast team are excited as we await results from this important comparative clinical study. We are particularly hopeful that the study will suggest a better option to the current treatment protocol for wrist-fractures. Common plaster-casting treatment has remained largely unchanged for more than 160 years since its first use,” comments Zero-Cast CEO Steve Hamilton.

Mr Hamilton says Zero-Cast is currently seeking further investment to help develop the market for its device.

Mr Hamilton says doctors have also expressed interest and are eager to undertake additional clinical research on remote monitoring of treatment and rehabilitation with Zero-Cast via telemedicine.

Zero-Cast has worked closely with NZ’s innovation agency, Callaghan Innovation, over the past six years. Callaghan has helped to fund its original proof-of-concept design through to patient use.

References:

1. Benjamin Domb, MD, founder and medical director of the American Hip Institute & Orthopedic Specialists in Des Plaines, Ill;Interview from Becker’s Review Written by Angie Stewart | April 29, 2020

“We must take every precaution possible to continue minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission everywhere in society, especially in the healthcare facility. The American Hip Institute was very early to adopt preventive measures, including social distancing, routine cleaning and sterilization of all workspaces and patient areas, use of masks and gloves, and minimization of direct contact. I believe many of these measures will become the norm in all healthcare facilities, and that this will lead to a permanent and positive change.”

“One dramatic change I expect is an acceleration of the migration of care from hospitals to outpatient facilities. Heightened concern for infection in our society will cause both patients and doctors to prefer care in an outpatient center with lower infection risk.”

Dr. Brian Cole, Rush University IL, interviewed by Laura Dyrda in Becker’s Review | April 29. 2020;

“Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush shifted to delivering telemedicine at the practice on March 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Surgeons also postponed non-urgent surgery to make sure caregivers at the front lines had the resources necessary to care for COVID-19 patients and stem the spread of the disease.”

Prof Oren Gottfried, MD clinical vice chair of quality in the department of neurosurgery at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C. Interviewed by Alan Condon in Becker’s Review | April 28. 2020;

“On the clinic side, we have adapted to social distancing with telemedicine. We dramatically increased and continue to increase the number of visits performed by video or phone. Patient satisfaction with our availability in this safe and convenient format for patients has been great. Our Clinician & Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers.

About Zero-Cast – the company

Zero-Cast was founded in 2013 by Dr Pranesh Kumar, surgeon-inventor and Mr Steve Hamilton, a medical-technology investor. Their head-office facility is based in Albany, Auckland, New Zealand, with a US based company in Houston, Texas.

Zero-Cast have developed a unique treatment for distal radius fracture treatment (broken wrist). The Zero-Cast Wx orthotic device is an adjustable device that provides comfort for the patient and is easily applied by a clinician. Zero-Cast holds the fracture-site firmly and promotes optimal joint and skin health throughout treatment.

Zero-Cast has obtained international regulatory approvals and holds over 15 patents and numerous trademarks for its Zero-Cast range of products that are manufactured and assembled to ISO-13485 standard. They are backed by individual investors from NZ & offshore