A recent clinical study carried out in Birmingham Children’s Hospital, has explored the success rate of foreign body removal from children’s ears by a nurse-led ENT clinic. It highlighted the associated impact on staff workload, secretarial time and clinic costs that resulted from failing to remove the object first time without the need for admission under general anaesthesia.

It found that a low success rate for foreign body removal in the hospital was linked to the responsibility which initially lay with Junior Doctors (due to changes in training and working hours). This resulted in removals often being escalated to surgical procedures and admissions under general anaesthetic, raising costs and pressure on hospital resources. Removal of foreign bodies in Outpatients clinic is believed to drastically reduce the need for this.

The study highlighted a need for effective foreign body removal where access to resources such as specialised suction devices can help remove the object at the first attempt reducing the need for costly theatre intervention.

DTR Medical understands this need and has developed the single-use Clearway Suction Handle with a soft silicone tip, which can be quickly attached to a suction line without the need for referral. It allows for a positive and swift patient outcome by helping to alleviate the trauma often associated with being sent to distant hospitals for theatre intervention. Reducing the need for surgery can deliver significant cost savings.

For more information on this article please contact Tim Christopher +44 (0) 1792 704898, tchristopher@dtrmedical.com

For more information on the Clearway Suction Handle please contact DTR Medical Customers Services on +44 (0) 1792 797910, info@dtrmedical.com