usMIMA launches first medical device to fight chronic constipation
<p>The product has a new brand, MOWOOT, and is available for rehabilitation therapists to try out with their patients before it goes on the market in June</p>
usMIMA, a start-up from the Moebio d·HEALTH Barcelona master (an initiative of Biocat), has launched its first medical device to fight chronic constipation. It will be available for rehabilitation therapists and physical therapists to try out with their patients before it goes on the market in June, after getting CE marking.
This product, registered under the trademark MOWOOT, is a non-drug, non-invasive solution for chronic constipation with no side effects. With the aim of emulating massage techniques used by professional therapists, the device has a belt that automatically massages the abdominal region, specifically the ascending and descending colon.
MOWOOT, which costs €499.00 per unit, is a wearable device that features a belt and a console connected by cables to program the massage and select the length and intensity. The company warns that for the massage to be effective it must be administered daily for 10 to 20 minutes. It is thus a solution that boosts patients’ independence and quality of life, as it can be used without help from a professional.
What is MOWOOT?
MOWOOT, the product developed by usMIMA that won the BioemprenedorXXI Award in 2014, came about after a clinical immersion at Institut Guttmann as part of the d·HEALTH Barcelona biodesign master. There the group detected many unmet clinical needs that affect the hospital’s daily operations, both in terms of patients and professionals.
By applying the design thinking method to biomedicine, the usMIMA team saw that one of the needs that most affects the daily routine of patients with spinal injuries is chronic constipation, which is also seen in 80% of patients with neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson, in which the nervous system doesn't work properly and the body loses control of its sphincters and its ability to generate the muscle contractions needed for intestinal transit.
The solutions for chronic constipation are laxative drugs, which cause irritation in the long term, and invasive methods like enemas, which can damage the intestinal wall. The alternative to these solutions is abdominal massage, which scientific evidence shows to be more effective. This technique is regularly used by specialized professionals, such as physical therapists, nurses and other healthcare workers.
The solution usMIMA has come up with means patients don’t have to depend on a professional, cutting the cost of treatment, the number of trips to the hospital or the need to hire home help.
usMIMA recently launched their new website with a detailed explanation of the project, the product and the indications for use. It also features a new blog.