By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram: HLL Lifecare Limited has launched a novel, low-cost “Limb Immobilisation Device” aimed at temporarily immobilising injured limbs in trauma patients for pre-hospital care.
HiCARE LIMO, as it’s called, is a simple, disposable and cost effective device which temporarily immobilises the lower limbs of the patients for up to six hours till definitive care is provided. The device has been developed to address the unmet Indian clinical need in a cost effective manner.
HiCARE LIMO is a product developed under a flagship programme of the Department of Biotechnology implemented at AIIMS and IIT, Delhi, in collaboration with the Stanford University under the Indo-US Science & Technology Forum partnership.
The limb immobiliser is made up of cardboard with multiple creases for better encapsulation of different leg girth sizes, hip support section and multiple belts for immobilising joints at different locations. It is a single free-size device for right/left limb with better “wrapping effect” and its unique strapping mechanism immobilises for a good six hours.
India has the highest number of road accidents in the world, with a recent study of the WHO estimating 14 deaths per hour due to road accidents in the country.
The most common injuries linked with road accidents are dislocation, fractures, sprain or contusions as a result from blunt, penetrating or crush type of injuries.
For the prevention of major complications, the most crucial thing is to treat all joint, bone and muscle injuries in the first 4 to 6 hours of pre-hospital care and while the patient waits for medical attendance.
“In such a scenario, this device has the potential to save a lot of lives and contain the number of fatalities in road mishaps. It is a better way to temporarily immobilise injured lower limbs in trauma patients before they receive definitive care,” said HLL chairman and managing director M. Ayyappan.
For HLL, a mini-Ratna PSU and leading manufacturer of contraceptives, this device enlarges the company’s portfolio in healthcare products.