Hummingbird

2022: Device Announcement

In early November 2022, medical technology company Preceptis Medical introduced the Hummingbird tympanostomy tube system. This device allows ENT surgeons to insert ear tubes in comfortable conditions of their office. The procedure requires only local anesthesia and should be less excruciating for pediatric patients than the traditional approach requiring general anesthesia.

Ear tubes are the primary surgical treatment for children with persistent fluid accumulation in the middle ear and/or chronic middle ear infections. Fluid accumulation in the ear and middle ear infections (also known as otitis media) occur due to swelling of the eustachian tubes, which allow mucus to drain from the middle of the ear to the throat. Swollen Eustachian tubes can be caused by colds, allergies or acid reflux, and fluid can build up as the virus or bacteria grows. Every year, otitis media causes about 25 million visits by GPs and paediatricians, with the highest prevalence in children aged 3-6 months. In case it is not treated or if the accumulation of fluid reaches a high enough level, the eardrum may rupture. Fluid accumulation and middle ear infections can also lead to hearing loss, which can cause delayed speech development and poor school performance.

Hummingbird device released

The Hummingbird Tympanostomy Tube System allows ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeons to provide parents and their children with a safe and less expensive option for procedures to install children's hearing tubes in their convenient ENT office. The device combines the individual steps of performing a myringotomy (an incision in the eardrum to relieve pressure caused by excessive fluid build-up), placing the tube to equalize pressure, and installing the tube with forceps or mediators. With Preceptis Medical's patented One-Pass technology, an incision is made and the tube is set by scrolling the slider back. A local anaesthetic helps to anesthetize the eardrum, and the entire procedure is effectively completed in the office.

The ear tube installation procedure with the Hummingbird device is carried out in the comfortable conditions of the doctor's office using only a local anesthetic to anesthetize the eardrum, and parents can attend the procedure with the child to provide additional comfort. Transferring the procedure to the doctor's office allows you to get the same surgical and clinical results as with a regular operation to install an auditory tube, in a safe, effective and less expensive place of care. In addition, children recover quickly and can return to normal activities immediately after the procedure. The developers believe that the Hummingbird device overcomes many of the obstacles associated with the traditional installation of the tube, since it was designed by parents with the interests of their children in mind.

The device is FDA certified and commercially available in the United States. For November 2022, developers are focused on meeting current demand for the product and expanding patient access in collaboration with the insurance community. However, the company's management is looking forward to expanding the use of the device worldwide.^[1]

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