Summary
- Profile Type
- Technology offer
- POD Reference
- TODE20240808016
- Term of Validity
- 8 August 2024 - 8 August 2025
- Company's Country
- Germany
- Type of partnership
- Investment agreement
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
- Targeted Countries
- All countries
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General information
- Short Summary
- A German university has developed a foot element for an external fixator as part of orthopaedic treatment. It enables a patient with a foot fracture to mobilize immediately with full weight bearing. The university offers a license agreement or a technological coopeation.
- Full Description
-
Orthopedic treatment of the lower extremities involves a variety of approaches that use technical medical accessories such as external fixators. Functionality assessment, external fixator design, and thus treatment success are all usually dependent on the experience of the orthopedists responsible for treatment. Insufficient stability resulting from patient failure to comply with strain constraints in conjunction with such disorders as diabetic foot Syndrome (DFS) can lead to complications and even amputation.
Commercially available solutions for external fixators are not optimal, since the force of the patient’s weight is guided by both the fracture point and the fixator. To immobilize a fracture, the fixator must be very stiff and/or stress must be reduced throughout the system initially. This has various disadvantages: the patient must comply or his mobility be greatly reduced, or the fixator must be very large.
The invention of a German univerity provides a foot element for an external fixator that mechanically bridges the damage point or the foot/ankle fracture so that loads are introduced proximally during movement. This allows immediate Patient mobilization with full load, no matter the degree of recuperation. Mechanical bridging of a fracture allows a much smaller immobilizing fixator than was previously possible, since stiffness requirements are much lower.
The university is looking for orthopaedic workshops and companies or medical technology companies that are interested in a license agreement or a technological collaboration to further develop the invention. - Advantages and Innovations
-
In Germany alone, annual health expenses for diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) come to 2.5 billion euros. One reason for these expenses is the high occurrence of amputation due to diabetes. The newly developed fixator will greatly improve care during recuperation, with earlier patient mobilization and fewer expected side effects. This allows rehabilitation measures to begin earlier. Since mobility is without crutches, outpatient care can be avoided in some cases. Besides monetary considerations, quality of life improves for the patient, since he is able to move about in a biomechanically correct manner that leaves his hands free.
This added value is considerable given the long application of an external fixator for DFS. For one thing, it ensures ideal patient care. For another, there is potential cost savings for health insurance funds, since the product reduces amputations when used post-operatively. - Stage of Development
- Available for demonstration
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
- IPR status
- IPR applied but not yet granted
- IPR notes
-
A German patent is pending for this invention.
International patents are also possible.
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
- The university is looking for orthopaedic workshops and companies or medical technology companies that are interested in a license agreement or a technological collaboration to further develop the invention.
- Type and Size of Partner
- SME 50 - 249
- Big company
- SME <=10
- Other
- SME 11-49
- Type of partnership
- Investment agreement
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 06001020 - Physiotherapy, Orthopaedic Technology
- 06001016 - Physiology
- Market keywords
- 05003001 - Therapeutic services
- 05007007 - Other medical/health related (not elsewhere classified)
- 05003006 - Other therapeutic (including defibrillators)
- Sector Groups Involved
- Health
- Targeted countries
- All countries
