iTind Procedure Wins Gold and Silver Medtech Awards

Olympus honored with both the 2022 Medical Design Excellence Award and 2022 Edison Award

Olympus’ iTind™ procedure for enlarged prostate treatment is a 2022 gold and silver medal medtech award winner.

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., (May 13, 2022) – Olympus, a global technology leader in designing and delivering innovative solutions for medical and surgical procedures, announced today that its iTind™ procedure for the treatment of enlarged prostate won Gold in the 2022 Medical Design Excellence Awards and Silver in the 2022 Edison Awards.

Established in 1998, the Medical Design Excellence Awards recognize achievements in medical design and engineering that improve the quality of healthcare. The iTind procedure was recognized within the Gastrointestinal and Genitourinary Devices category. Entrants were judged on five criteria: design and engineering innovations, user-related innovations, benefits to overall healthcare, benefits to patients and differentiation in the market.

Nominated within the Science and Medical category for Medical Treatments, the iTind procedure was recognized by the Edison Awards, which highlights innovation and innovators whose solutions make a positive impact in the world. Edison Award entries are judged on four criteria: concept, value, delivery and impact. The Edison Awards were established in 1987.

“We are thrilled that industry leaders have recognized the iTind procedure as an innovative alternative to medication, permanent implants or surgery for the treatment of an enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH),” said Patrick MacCarthy, Vice President of the Urology Business Unit for Olympus Corporation. “Patients suffering from an enlarged prostate now have several options, including the truly minimally invasive iTind procedure, and we’re proud to be able to offer men treatment for the bothersome symptoms of BPH that can hamper their day-to-day lives.”

The iTind procedure provides effective relief to men suffering the lower urinary tract symptoms caused by enlarged prostate.1 BPH affects 50% of men between the ages of 51 and 60 and up to 90% of men over the age of 80.2 With most men facing BPH in their lifetimes, there is a significant need for treatment options beyond pharmaceuticals, surgery, or permanent implants.

Treatment with the iTind procedure takes five to seven days and works by reshaping the prostate. The device’s three nitinol (nickel titanium alloy) struts gradually expand while the temporary implant is in place, creating new channels through which urine can flow. Once the device is completely removed, most men go home without the need of a catheter, and the procedure does not limit patients to any future treatment options, if necessary.

As with any medical procedure, the iTind procedure comes with possible side effects, including pelvic discomfort, blood in urine, painful or urgent urination. In rare cases, it can cause urinary tract infection or a sudden difficulty to urinate.

Placement and retrieval can be done in a hospital, ambulatory surgery center, or medical office setting, and this flexibility in the site of care means the iTind procedure can be offered by urologists almost anywhere, including smaller, rural facilities.

Visit the Medical Design Excellence Awards website for a complete list of 2022 winners, and visit the Edison Awards website for a complete list of 2022 winners.

For more information about the iTind procedure, visit bphtherapy.com/iTind.

 

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About Olympus
Olympus is passionate about creating customer-driven solutions for the medical industry. For more than 100 years, Olympus has focused on making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling by helping to detect, prevent, and treat disease; furthering scientific research; and ensuring public safety.

As a leading medical technology company, Olympus uses innovative capabilities in medical technology, therapeutic intervention, and precision manufacturing to help healthcare professionals deliver diagnostic, therapeutic, and minimally invasive procedures to improve clinical outcomes, reduce overall costs, and enhance the quality of life for patients and their safety. Olympus’ Medical portfolio includes endoscopes, laparoscopes, and video imaging systems, as well as surgical energy devices, system integration solutions, medical services, and a wide range of endotherapy instruments for endoscopic and therapeutic applications. For more information, visit medical.olympusamerica.com.

1 Chughtai B, Elterman D, Shore N, et al. “The iTind Temporarily Implanted Nitinol Device for the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Secondary to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial” [published online ahead of print, 2020 Dec 26]. Urology. 2020;S0090-4295(20)31520-X. DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2020.12.022

2 What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)? UrologyHealth.org. https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/b/benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-(bph). Updated September 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022.