Med Tech-related technology assessments and clinical guidelines from NICE in September 2018

Interventional Procedure Guidance is developed for most of the novel interventional procedures entering the English market. The program focuses solely on the clinical evidence. Recommendations may vary from ‘for research only’ to ‘for use with standard arrangements for clinical governance, consent, and audit.' Recommendations are not binding, although they are followed by providers and commissioners.

In September NICE published two new Interventional Procedure Guidance:

• Interventional Procedure Guidance Transurethral water jet ablation for lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia, which covers evidence-based recommendations on injecting a high-speed jet of water into the prostate to destroy some of the tissue for lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia in adults. The evidence on transurethral water jet ablation for lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia raises no major safety concerns. The evidence on efficacy is limited in quantity. Therefore, this procedure should only be used with special arrangements for clinical governance, consent, and audit or research.
• Interventional Procedure Guidance Intravesical microwave hyperthermia and chemotherapy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, which covers evidence-based recommendations on using microwaves to improve the effect of the chemotherapy given directly into the bladder for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer in adults. The evidence on the safety of intravesical microwave hyperthermia and chemotherapy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer shows there are well-recognised adverse events. Current evidence on its efficacy is limited in quality. Therefore, this procedure should only be used with special arrangements for clinical governance, consent, and audit or research.

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.

Medical technologies guidance Neuropad for detecting preclinical diabetic peripheral neuropathy covers evidence-based recommendations on Neuropad that detects sub-normal sweating in patients with diabetes. The clinical importance of this in current NHS care pathways is poorly defined. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of Neuropad in patients in whom 10 g monofilament testing for diabetic peripheral neuropathy is not possible. Cost modelling is uncertain because of the limited clinical-effectiveness evidence.

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 a formal guidance, and it, therefore, does not provide any recommendations.

Two new Medtech Innovation Briefings for The Vest for delivering high-frequency chest wall oscillation in people with complex neurological needs (delivery of high-frequency chest wall oscillation for clearing airways in adults and children with complex neurological needs, such as cerebral palsy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and OxyMask for delivering oxygen therapy (it can be used for delivering oxygen therapy) have been published in September.

See full details here.

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