How a tiny implantable device is heralding a new era of healthcare
Imagine living with a life-sustaining medical device that has a failure rate of 50 percent over two years. Imagine also that there was no way of telling when it was going to fail, except to wait for symptoms to appear. This is the reality for people who need a shunt, a device used by people with hydrocephalus that manages the build-up of excess fluid around the brain. Shunts have the highest failure rate of any medical device, and shunt failure symptoms – headaches, irritability, vomiting – are all common and non-specific in children, forcing parents to constantly rush to the hospital every time they suspect shunt failure.
In this talk, Professor Simon Malpas will discuss how he and his team have developed the first fully implantable brain pressure sensor. The sensor heralds a new era of medical devices by allowing people with chronic health conditions to self-monitor their physiology at home – changing care from reactive to proactive. Join us to hear a story about innovation in New Zealand and for a discussion on how we can do more.
Bio
Professor Simon Malpas is passionate about having conversations around how New Zealand can build a strong, resilient economy based on investment in innovation. He draws from his career in both the University and a series of medical technology companies to illustrate how and why we can do better. He now leads the University medtech spin-out Kitea Health, which has developed the world’s first discrete micro implant for the brain that allows the home-based measurement of brain pressure for people who have hydrocephalus. Kitea is the first implantable device company in Aotearoa.
Event
6:30pm @Wynyard Pavilion, 17 Jellicoe Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Also speaking at this location at 8:00pm is Annie Goldson
Venue Note: This is a heated outdoor space, however, please wear something warm as it may be cold for some.
