Clinical Diagnostics & Interventions [CI]

[CI1]: A way to monitor the fullness of the bladder and/or to allow bladder drainage during ureteroscopy and renoscopy procedures

During ureteroscopy and renoscopy procedures, the surgeon is unable to tell if the bladder has become fully distended, especially if the patient is not conscious. NHG is seeking a solution to allow surgeons to tell when the bladder is fully distended and/or to allow concurrent drainage of the bladder during the procedures.

[CI2]: A point-of-care test kit for metastatic renal or urological cancers 

Patients with metastatic renal or urological cancers require routine long-term monitoring to prevent relapse. Current testing is slow, cumbersome and expensive. A low-cost, portable, quick point-of-care test to be used in the outpatient setting will be useful for routine long-term monitoring of these patients.

[CI3]: A solution to lessen the likelihood of tracheostomy tube valve accidentally dropping and being misplaced

Accidental speaking valve loss causes inconvenience to all parties involved. Patients lose the therapeutic benefit of having a speaking valve until it is replaced, such as not having sufficient airflow for functional speech. Speech therapists and nurses also spend time searching for the device or dealing with the administrative aspect of its replacement.

[CI4]: A non-pharmacological method for prevention and treatment of peripheral neuropathy (Diabetic peripheral neuropathy and  chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy) 

Patients who undergo chemotherapy for certain type of cancers are at risk of CIPN, which can result in loss of upper limb fine motor function, affect finger dexterity due to sensorimotor loss, and increase risk of falls due to lower limb peripheral nerve involvement. People with diabetes may also be affected by diabetic peripheral neuropathy. There is currently no effective prevention or treatment options for CIPN and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and existing drug therapies are associated with multiple side effects. NHG is looking for a non-pharmacologic prevention method.

[CI5]: Re-inventing the nasogastrojejunal (NGJ) tube to minimise slippage and blockage 

The NGJ tube, often used to deliver nutrition and decompress the stomach in post-operative surgical patients with delayed gastric emptying, patients in ileus, or patients with antral/pyloric tumours with gastric outlet obstruction, is prone to tube migration/slippage as well as tube blockage. Unlike regular NG tubes that can be inserted by nurses or dotors at the bedside, the NGJ tube can only be inserted by radiologists in order to confirm the position of the tube. Hence any dislodgement or tube blockage often results in days of parenteral nutrition while waiting for the next available appointment for the radiologists to insert a new NGJ tube.

[CI6]: An electric dental root planing instrument to make root planing procedures more efficient 

Patients with severe forms of gum disease require root planing to remove the hardened tartar sticking to root surfaces in deep gum pockets. Root planing encourages periodontal ligament reattachment for better healing. However, the current root planing procedure is done manually, hence it is time consuming and tiring for the clinicians and patients. Furthermore, the relationship between gum disease and diabetes is well established. Thus, we anticipate that with an electric tool, patient treatment waiting times and outcomes would be improved. This will benefit the general health of the patient.

[CI7]: Multi-purpose laparoscope with sponge or blood suction system 

During the laparoscopic surgery, bleeding can obscure the operative field and affect the operations of the surgeon. Gauze and surgical sponge can be used to clean the operative field, and also achieve hemostasis or slow down the bleeding by compression. These gauze and surgical sponge can also be used to press and retract the delicate tissue and vessels, protecting from injury by laparoscopic instruments.

[CI8]: A more effortless and pain-free method of inserting x-ray plates under patients with limited mobility  

X-ray imaging plates often need to be inserted unuderneath a patient who is lying on a trolley bed. This is carried out either in the ICU, or in the emergency Department, for chest/abdominal/pelvic x-rays. These patients are usually lying motionless or with limited mobility. The action of inserting a plate underneath such patients requires a great amount of effort/exertion by the radiographer. There is also the risk of skin tears in elderly patients with brittle skin.