78890Development of a Protocol for Treatment, with a Neuromuscular Electro-Stimulation Device, to Improve Outcomes and Reduce Length of Stay for Critical Care PatientsClosedSmall Business Research InitiativeInnovate UKCC is high-risk with a mortality rate of 20-30% It is also costly, accounting for approximately 3% of the NHS budget, or £3.75bn per annum This project aims to reduce the length of stay of patients under Critical Care (CC) or in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Currently, a vast array of care mechanisms are used to stabilise and treat a CC patient in a range of types of specialist ICU -- dependent upon the type of condition or injury. Normally, Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (IPC) or ThromboEmbolism-Deterrent stocking (TEDS) are used as a standard measure for the prevention of DVT. Also drugs are used to maintain a fine balance between blood flow to critical internal organs and the body's periphery whilst maintaining healthy blood pressure and pulse. In severe patients these drugs can compromise the patient as a balance cannot be found. The applicants have developed the gekoTM device: a small battery-powered, device that sticks to the back of the knee, sending small electrical pulses to stimulate the common peroneal nerve. This produces contractions of the calf muscles causing blood to flow around the body. It currently approved for use in the NHS and US healthcare systems to prevent DVT. The gekoTM has also been shown to: significantly increase blood flow in critical internal organs: kidney and heart increase venous, arterial and microvascular blood flow and to reduce swelling due to trauma or surgery. These are all major indicators of the health of a patient under critical care. The gekoTM is a innovative technology protected by 6 families of global patents. Freedom To Operate has been established by numerous and regular professional searches. The innovation in this project will be to substitute IPC or TEDS with gekoTM - ostensibly for DVT prevention - but also gain the significant advantages of system-wide support offered by the gekoTM. * This will address a global market worth over £1bn in the UK and US alone with an estimated value of £40m over the first five years. * Use of the device will save the NHS approximately £570m per day reduction in the Length Of Stay of CC patients. * Potential for the environmental impact of the device have been studied previously and demonstrated a 10x saving over TEDS and IPC. This Phase 1 project will develop the first stage protocols needed to conduct a full clinical trial, Health Economic Study and Economic Impact Assessment in Phase 2\.