Professor Alan Cottenden Receives the 2017 John J. Humpal Award from The Simon Foundation for Continence

The John J. Humpal award was presented to Professor Cottenden at the Simon Foundation for Continence’s sixth biennial Innovating for Continence: The Engineering Challenge conference, 2017 at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, in Chicago’s city center.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (PRWEB) MAY 30, 2017

Presenting the 2017 John J. Humpal award to Professor Alan Cottenden, PhD was Christopher Payne, MD, Emeritus Professor of Urology at Stanford University. As he presented the award, Dr. Payne stated, “We are so fortunate that many years ago, a young engineer made a potentially suicidal career decision to focus his attention on the incontinence world. What a difference he has made! His own research has had great impact but his value to the field has been multiplied many times over through his tireless efforts at education throughout the professional spectrum. Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and scientists have trained with Alan. Most importantly, Alan has consistently shown the ability to connect those from differing fields to produce new insights and new incontinence products that help patients.”Continue reading→

Incontinence Tied to Low Testosterone in Women

A possible link between low levels of testosterone in women and urinary incontinence raises the possibility that testosterone replacement therapy might help, results from a new study suggest. “Testosterone may prevent pelvic floor atrophy, thereby reducing the risk of urinary incontinence,” said investigator Michelle Kim, MD, PhD, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Levator ani muscles are known to have androgen receptors. In one rodent model, testosterone administered after surgically induced urinary incontinence resulted in levator hypertrophy (Int Urol Nephrol. 2011;43:1003-1008). Because it is unclear whether the same association exists in humans, Dr Kim and her colleagues were prompted to assess the correlation between testosterone and incontinence. Read more.

Source: Medscape, May 18, 2017

Introducing an Online Community to Provide Support to People with Incontinence and Their Caregivers

The Simon Foundation for Continence has launched a support community on the HealthUnlocked network.

CHICAGO, IL (PRWEB) MAY 18, 2017

The Simon Foundation for Continence’s has a new online community that will provide valuable support and information to people living with incontinence. It will do this by helping them to learn how to manage their incontinence and improve their quality of life through shared knowledge and support received within the online community. This site will also be of great value to those who have a friend or loved one with incontinence, or for those who are caregivers (at home or in a licensed facility).

The Simon Foundation for Continence seeks to bring the topic of incontinence out into the open, remove the stigma surrounding incontinence, and provide help and hope to people with incontinence, their families and the health professionals who provide their care. This online community is a natural extension of the Foundation’s mission.

Continue reading→

Acupuncture Stops Urinary Bladder Leakage Over Drugs

Acupuncture outperforms drug therapy for the treatment of mild to moderate female stress urinary incontinence (FSUI). Researchers from Weihai City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine conclude that electroacupuncture is effective for the control of FSUI. In the study, an electroacupuncture treatment group produced a positive patient outcome rate of 86.7%. The drug control group produced a 68.9% positive patient outcome rate for the treatment of FSUI. The electroacupuncture group had a significantly higher complete recovery rate and total effective rate. Read more.

Source: Health CMi, May 9, 2017

P&G Partners with Walmart Around Raising Awareness on Common Issue

In order to help normalize the topic of bladder leaks, Always Discreet is working with retailers to educate women nationwide. As an example, Procter & Gamble’s Always Discreet brand on Thursday worked with Walmart to launch a new, inspirational video to help women understand how common bladder leaks are and to rethink their negative feelings. “Because many women avoid talking about their bladder leaks, they can often feel alone in their experience, embarrassed to bring up the topic, and hesitant to shop for and wear incontinence products,” stated Barbara Hannah Grufferman, positive living expert, author and Always Discreet spokesperson. “Over the years, I’ve spoken to thousands of women around the country who have bladder leaks, and most women don’t realize how common and normal it is. The good news is that once women realize how many other women experience it too, they feel better about it and themselves,” she said. “That’s what’s been captured in this video, and the hope is that women watch it, make that connection for themselves and feel more confident, empowered and compelled to live their best lives and stand in solidarity with the many other women who experience bladder leaks too.” Read more.

Source: Drug Store News, May 4, 2017

Prostate Cancer Patients Treated with Brachytherapy Retain Urinary, Bowel Quality

Prostate cancer patients treated with Cesium-131 brachytherapy maintained their urinary- and bowel-related quality of life years afterward, according to a study. While patients reported a decline in these quality of life measures immediately after brachytherapy, they achieved a full recovery within six months. Brachytherapy involves inserting radioactive seeds in or near tumor to kill it. The research, “Long-term Quality of Life in Prostate Cancer Patients Treated with Cesium-131,” was published in the Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. “This study reinforces the position of Cesium 131 as an effective, patient-friendly treatment for localized prostate cancer,” Bill Cavanagh, chief scientific officer of the brachytherapy company IsoRay, said in a news release. “This is especially important as multiple studies are emerging that strongly suggest that the inclusion of brachytherapy must be considered for the treatment of high-risk prostate cancer – the toughest localized prostate cancer to cure.” Read more.

Source: Prostate Cancer News Today, May 4, 2017

Pixie Scientific Announces U.S. Commercial Launch of Its Smart Pads

Pixie Scientific announced today that it has completed the FDA registration for Pixie Smart Pads and has begun shipping to Early Access customers. The Class I medical device utilizes a patented sensor and software platform to unobtrusively monitor incontinent seniors for an analyte commonly associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs). Pixie Scientific is a healthcare platform technology company focused on improving outcomes by connecting populations at risk with unobtrusive health monitoring—a field Pixie refers to as Connected Care. Pixie’s patented platform consists of a biosensor, a mobile app, and secure cloud architecture which utilizes machine learning for analysis and disseminates information to remote care teams. Clinicians can use this information, along with other symptoms, to order additional patient evaluation or more specific diagnostics in a timely manner—which may lower the rate of co-morbidities and hospital admissions due to UTIs and improve antibiotic stewardship. Read more.

Source: PRNewswire, May 3, 2017

ConvaTec Releases New Fecal Management System in US

Global medical technology company ConvaTecGroup announced the US launch of the Flexi-Seal PROTECT Fecal Management System on Tuesday, following receipt of 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration. The FTSE 100 firm said Flexi-Seal PROTECT FMS was the latest addition to the company’s “market-leading range” of advanced systems developed to manage acute fecal incontinence, and help to reduce the associated risks of skin breakdown and spread of C. difficile infection. Read more.

Source: digitallook.com, May 2, 2017

AUA & SUFU Release Guideline on Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence

With nearly 50 percent of women in the United States experiencing symptoms of stress urinary incontinence (SUI), the American Urological Association (AUA), a leading global urology association and the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU), the premier urological subspecialty society dedicated to improving the art and science of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, recently released a joint evidence-based clinical guideline on the surgical treatment of SUI in women. SUI is defined as the involuntary leakage of urine due to increased abdominal pressure, which can be caused by such activities as physical exercise, sneezing, laughing or coughing. Approximately half of all women experience SUI symptoms during their lifetime, and many of these women are sufficiently bothered by their symptoms to seek treatment from a physician. Pelvic floor muscle exercises and other nonsurgical treatments can be effective therapies, but many women choose to undergo surgery to treat their SUI symptoms. Read more.

Source: PRNewswire, April 18, 2017

SCA to Split Into Two Companies

SCA, a company know in the HME industry for its hygiene and incontinence products, such as TENA, will be splitting into two companies, SCA and Essity, with Essity being the company working in the healthcare market. SCA was founded 1929 in Sweden as a forest products company, and over the years the company not only expanded into the international market, but diversified its range of offerings to include incontinence products and other offerings. Most recently, it acquired well-known BSN medical. Eventually, SCA’s health offerings began to eclipse its forest products division. As of 2016, 86 percent of SCA serves the global hygiene and health market, while only 14 percent offers forest products. Moreover, synergies between the two operations have diminished over time, according to SCA. Read more.

Source: HME Business, April 13, 2017