Med Tech-related technology assessments and clinical guidelines from NICE in September 2019

In September 2019, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published three new interventional procedure guidance (for implant insertion for prominent ears, high-intensity focused ultrasound for glaucoma, and bioprosthetic plug insertion for anal fistula) and five new MedTech innovation briefings (for SuperNO2VA for the relief of upper airway obstruction in people with obstructive sleep apnoea, The V.A.C. Veraflo Therapy system for infected wounds, UroShield for preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections, InterDry for intertrigo, and Alpha-Stim AID for anxiety).

Interventional Procedure Guidance is developed for most of the novel interventional procedures entering the English market. The program focuses solely on 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 2019, NICE published three new Interventional Procedure Guidance:

• Interventional Procedure Guidance Implant insertion for prominent ears, which covers evidence-based recommendations on implant insertion for prominent ears in children, young people, and adults. Current evidence on the safety and efficacy of implant insertion for prominent ears is inadequate in quality and quantity. Therefore, this procedure should only be used in the context of research
• Interventional Procedure Guidance High-intensity focused ultrasound for glaucoma, which covers evidence-based recommendations on high-intensity focused ultrasound for glaucoma in adults. Evidence on the safety and efficacy of high-intensity focused ultrasound for glaucoma is inadequate in quality and quantity. Therefore, this procedure should only be used in the context of research

• Interventional Procedure Guidance Bioprosthetic plug insertion for anal fistula, which covers evidence-based recommendations on bioprosthetic plug insertion for anal fistula in adults. Current evidence on the safety and efficacy of bioprosthetic plug insertion for anal fistula is adequate to support the use of this procedure provided that standard arrangements are in place for clinical governance, consent, and audit

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.

Five new Medtech Innovation Briefings for The V.A.C. Veraflo Therapy system for infected wounds (used to promote healing in chronic and acutely infected wounds), SuperNO2VA for the relief of upper airway obstruction in people with obstructive sleep apnoea (can be used during intubation and postoperatively in the post-anaesthesia care unit for patients having general anaesthesia, or during the entire procedure for patients having deep sedation), UroShield for preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (used to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections in people with long-term indwelling catheters),  InterDry for intertrigo (used for treating intertrigo, a common inflammatory skin rash that usually develops in skin folds, such as in the groin, under the breast or in the armpits), and Alpha-Stim AID for anxiety (device used for treating anxiety, insomnia and depression) have been published in September.

See full details here.

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