Halyard Health Introduces Single-Step Catheter Placement Solution for Continuous Nerve Block Procedures

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Halyard Health (NYSE: HYH), formerly Kimberly-Clark Health Care, a global medical technology company focused on preventing infection, eliminating pain and speeding recovery, today announced the availability of the ON-Q* QuikBloc* Over-the-Needle Catheter Set – designed to give clinicians the ability to place catheters for continuous nerve block procedures in a single step.

Traditional approaches to continuous nerve blocks typically require multiple steps. ON-Q* QuikBloc* is a catheter assembled over an echogenic needle to allow for placement in one simple step for continuous nerve block procedures, so clinicians can employ the same simple and familiar technique as performing a single-shot block. Additionally, the design may potentially reduce leakage at the insertion site, and the echogenic system enables enhanced visualization under ultrasound – with a stimulation option for dual guidance.

"Designed with anesthesiologists' input, the ON-Q* QuikBloc* system can help clinicians improve the reliability of catheter placement for continuous nerve block procedures, and may save time by reducing the number of steps," said Roger Massengale, general manager, acute pain, Halyard Health. "In today's changing healthcare environment, this is becoming more important for clinicians, as they are pressured to provide more efficient and less costly care, while still delivering better outcomes. Driving innovation in pain management has been a longtime priority for Halyard Health. The introduction of this solution reinforces our commitment to giving clinicians the tools they need to make administering continuous nerve blocks simpler and easier, reducing the reliance on prescription opioids for post-operative pain."

Inadequate treatment of acute pain may lead to delayed recovery from surgery and contribute to the development of persistent post-surgical pain, which in turn may negatively impact patients' quality of life.[i] The United States continues to endure an epidemic of drug overdose deaths, with approximately 46 Americans dying per day in 2010 from an overdose involving prescription opioids.[ii] Recent findings from the Kaiser Health Tracking Poll show that more than half (56 percent) of the public report a personal connection to the prescription opioid abuse epidemic – revealing they or someone they know has abused, been addicted to or died from prescription painkillers.[iii]

The ON-Q* Pain Relief System is a non-narcotic elastomeric pump that automatically and continuously delivers a regulated flow of local anesthetic to a patient's surgical site or in close proximity to nerves, providing targeted pain relief for up to five days. The ON-Q* QuikBloc* system is part of the ON-Q* Pain Relief System suite of products – which include pain pumps, pump accessories, peripheral nerve block accessories, as well as a comprehensive training, education and support system to provide effective, non-narcotic pain relief for patients.

Click here to learn more about the ON-Q* QuikBloc* system, and here to learn more about the complete ON-Q* Pain Relief System.

About Halyard Health
Halyard Health (NYSE: HYH) is a medical technology company focused on preventing infection, eliminating pain and speeding recovery for healthcare providers and their patients. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, Halyard is committed to addressing some of today's most important healthcare needs, such as preventing healthcare-associated infections and reducing the use of narcotics while helping patients move from surgery to recovery. Halyard's business segments — Surgical and Infection Prevention and Medical Devices — develop, manufacture and market clinically superior solutions that improve medical outcomes and business performance in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit www.halyardhealth.com.

*Registered Trademarks or Trademarks of Halyard Health, Inc. or its affiliates.  ©2015 HYH.  All rights reserved.  MK-00873

^[i] Kinney MAO, Hooten WM, Cassivi SD, Allen MS, Passe MA, Hanson AC, et al. Chronic postthoracotomy pain and health-related quality of life. Ann Thorac Surg 2012;93:1242-7.
^[ii] Jones CM, Mack KA, Paulozzi LJ. Pharmaceutical overdose deaths, United States, 2010. JAMA. 2013;309(7):657-659.
^[iii] "Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: November 2015." http://kff.org/health-reform/poll-finding/kaiser-health-tracking-poll-november-2015/

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SOURCE Halyard Health

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