Wednesday, 9 Jul, 2008

More children could be conceived through IVF treatment, thanks to a new product being launched today which is designed to overcome some of the problems faced by women with low egg counts.

Low egg counts, which can dramatically reduce the chance of success of IVF treatment, are becoming more commonplace in the developed world as women continue to put off having children until later in life.

Thirty years ago the first successful IVF treatment was performed leading to the birth of Louise Brown. Smiths Medical brand Wallace - a global leader in IVF embryo transfer and egg retrieval - worked closely with the pioneers of IVF, ensuring that their needs were factored into the design, development and manufacture of the world’s first commercially available embryo transfer catheter.

The latest innovation from this leading brand is the dual lumen oocyte retrieval needle - an egg retrieval needle which has been designed to help minimise patient discomfort and produce better results from patients with low egg yields.

Smiths Medical's consistent innovation in this field has seen a range of new products brought to the market, setting new standards in quality and effectiveness. Smiths Medical scientists in Hythe, UK were also responsible for pioneering the world-famous SureView technology, which was the first technology to enable patients and clinicians to witness full movement of the catheter under ultrasound during transfer of the embryo into the uterus.

Wallace’s Global Business Manager, Scott Leer, said: ‘We are delighted to be launching another groundbreaking IVF product today. Smiths Medical is proud of its history in this field, and we are committed to developing new and exciting products to give people around the world hope of having a child.’

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About Wallace:
Almost four million Wallace embryo transfer catheters have been sold, with a little over seven million IVF cycles estimated to have been completed globally.

About Sureview:
Impregnated with tiny bubbles, the device – which contains the embryo about to be implanted – enables full visibility of the catheter under ultrasound allowing for exact precision of the catheter tip in the uterus before transferring the embryo, capturing the moment of conception for parents around the world.

Dr Peter Brinsden, now Consultant Medical Director of Bourn Hall Clinic in Cambridge, UK, said: ‘I have used the Wallace catheter for nearly 20 years as, to me, it remains the best on the market, since it gives as atraumatic a transfer as is possible. The technology and effectiveness of the relatively new SureView catheter is amazing.’

Media
Laura Guerin
+44 (0)20 8457 8403
+44 (0)7776 433 796
laura.guerin@smiths.com