Medifocus recently announced it has engaged Tanaka Kapec Design Group as lead designer for the next generation of the company’s Prolieve thermodilatation system to treat benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).
Prolieve is a transurethral microwave thermotherapy system that uses a proprietary balloon compression technology to dilate the enlarged prostate while simultaneously cooling and compressing the prostatic urethra. According to Medifocus, it offers a fairly painless and effective alternative to drug therapy and certain types of surgical procedures, providing both immediate and long-term relief of BPH-related symptoms in a 45-minute, in-office procedure. The system also allows 95 percent of patients to go home without a catheter.
The system was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for commercialization in 2004 and since has been used to treat more than 100,000 patients in the U.S.
“We are pleased to have the industrial engineering expertise of Tanaka Kapec Design Group, Inc., to help us design the next generation Prolieve™ console,” Dr. Augustine Y. Cheung, CEO of Medifocus, said in a press release. “The focus of the redesign is to deliver a console that integrates the best technical and engineering innovations available today while also providing an even better treatment experience to patients. We are taking important steps to position Medifocus to fulfill the unmet needs of the growing BPH market worldwide and to position Prolieve™ for entry into geographies around the world. We believe the Prolieve™ therapy offers a more patient-friendly alternative to medications and other more invasive surgeries without the associated side effects and complications, respectively.”
Added Jeffrey Kapec, executive vice president and principal of Tanaka Kapec Design Group, “As designers of the original Prolieve system, we are excited to bring our design and engineering expertise and experience to assist Medifocus in the creation of the next generation of Prolieve. The new design will bring about a new elegant package which will enhance the physician’s experience with the overall system and usability.”