Blackpool Victoria Hospital uses Medela Healthcare’s Thopaz+ chest drainage system

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Medela Healthcare’s Thopaz+ chest drainage system has been introduced into three of its respiratory wards.

The department has acquired ten units, which will be used for chest drainage in cases for pneumothorax to observe air leaks. Following the surgeons’ positive feedback in the hospital’s Cardiothoracic unit, the devices are currently being distributed throughout respiratory.

The hospital has chosen the portable solution, which can reduce the length of stay in hospitals, drainage time and improve safety for people with chest drains, to remove the risk of air contamination and disconnection. Thopaz+, which is lightweight and small, enables clinicians to make judgments based on exact drainage data.

At a national level, adopting Thopaz+ is expected to save around eight-point-five million pounds annually, according to the NICE resource impact assessment.

Dr. Amrithraj Bhatta, stated “I believe it will help us manage air leak effectively and give us greater confidence in managing these patients. It also has many patient benefits such as enabling early removal of chest drains, reducing their stay in hospital, and helping patients with their mobility. We are delighted to have introduced Thopaz+ on our ward and are looking forward to using it as part of our clinical practice.”

Rob Rennel, business unit Manager at Medela, stated: “I am delighted to see that our device is being used in both the Cardiothoracic and Respiratory wards at Blackpool Victoria Hospital to not only provide safe and effective chest drain management but also help safeguard both patients and staff against COVID-19.”