Cancer cases in the UK increase every year and a common complication of late stage cancer is Malignant Pleural Effusion, which is the buildup of fluid in the chest cavity. The current at home treatment with an indwelling pleural catheter has an unpredictable treatment duration, complications and hospital re-admission. Symphysis Medical developed the RelEaze, an healthcare innovation that tackles this problem.

Indwelling pleural catheter

The RelEaze is a novel indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) focussing on minimizing the invasiveness of the treatment for the patient and being as user friendly as possible. The full focus of this innovation is on improving the treatment process for the patient so they get better relieve in their late stages of cancer. The RelEaze can accelerate the treatment from 12 months up to less than 30 days through the active capsule. The design is patient friendly by having a low profile and portable which is comfortable and discreet. Additionally, the focus is on the patient by enabling the patients to drain the fluid themselves.

The RelEaze helps relieve the breathless feeling by draining the fluids while also preventing fluid reaccumulating by closing the pleural space. Altogether this will minimize hospital visits, saves healthcare costs and most important, helps improve the quality of life of the patient. 

How does RelEaze work?

Like with a normal IPC, the tube of the device is placed within the chest cavity, but with RelEaze the connection to the rest of the drainage system less invasive and easier to use. The patient can connect the active drainage capsule to the tube on their chest themselves. The capsule will drain the fluid from the chest cavity over a period of 30 days after which patient can be liberated from the catheter. Beside the faster drainage, the RelEaze also increases the chance of pleurodesis, which is where the pleural space is closed again so the longs can move with the chest again and the breathing function is restored again. Additionally, it minimizes complications, such as infections of the exit site which would necessitate further treatment.

How does RealEaze impact patients?

The biggest impact is on the patient by giving them the ability to independently drain the fluids in their chest and help them relieve the breathlessness. Furthermore, it prevents fluids from reaccumulating through pleurodesis. All together it will minimize hospital visits. This is beneficial for both the patient and the healthcare professional as the patient can remain at home in their own environment while the healthcare professional has less work for the treatment process of the IPC and doesn’t have to use additional treatment for the possible complications. In the end this will result in less healthcare costs and can lead to saving 25% in cost for catheter treatment.  

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