Med Tech-related technology assessments and clinical guidelines from NICE in February 2021

Medical technologies guidance evaluates new, innovative medical devices and diagnostics. It looks at medical technologies that deliver treatment, like those implanted during surgical procedures, give greater independence to patients, or detect or monitor medical conditions.

In February, NICE issued one new medical technologies guidance on Leukomed Sorbact for preventing surgical site infection. Leukomed Sorbact is an interactive dressing that binds to the microbes that cause surgical site infection, so they are removed when the dressing is changed.

NICE recommended Leukomed Sorbact as an option for people with wounds that are expected to have low to moderate exudate after caesarean section and vascular surgery. It should be used as part of the usual measures to reduce the risk of surgical site infection. More evidence is needed on the use of Leukomed Sorbact on wounds after other types of surgery. The NHS may save up to £5.3 million per year for caesarean section and up to £1.2 million per year for vascular surgery by adopting this technology. Cost savings are expected because fewer people will need to stay in the hospital for the treatment of surgical site infection.

MedTech Innovation Briefing is the NICE's advice program for innovative technologies. It provides an overview of clinical effectiveness, safety, and cost. It does not offer formal guidance, and it, therefore, does not provide any recommendations.

Seven MedTech Innovation Briefings were published in February:

• moorLDLS-BI for burn depth assessment - a non‑invasive imaging system that uses laser doppler technology to map the blood flow for burn depth assessment;
• The STAK tool for preventing and treating knee stiffness - a medical stretching device that uses a person's own leverage and gravity to achieve higher increases in the range of knee movement in people who have had knee trauma or surgery, such as knee replacement;
• PROPEL sinus implants for maintaining sinus patency after surgery – helps to keep the ethmoid or frontal sinus open and delivers corticosteroids directly to the sinus mucosa while gradually dissolving, used as an alternative to topical corticosteroids and spacers or nasal packing in adults with chronic sinusitis after sinus surgery;
• URO17 for detecting bladder cancer - a urine test based on the novel biomarker keratin 17 (K17) to detect bladder cancer in people with symptoms of bladder cancer and to monitor for recurrence during treatment follow-up;
• Faecal microbiota transplant for recurrent or refractory Clostridioides difficile infection as an alternative to repeat courses of antibiotics (fidaxomicin or vancomycin);
• DOAC Dipstick for detecting direct oral anticoagulants - a diagnostic urine test strip for the qualitative detection of the absence or presence of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs: Dabigatran, Apixaban, Edoxaban, and Rivaroxaban);
• CytoSorb for reducing risk of bleeding during cardiac surgery - a technology for purifying the blood outside of the body, designed to remove ticagrelor (a blood thinner) from the blood during urgent or emergency cardiac surgery, and so prevent bleeding complications.

See the full details here.

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