A new product designed by a hospital doctor was launched at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock today. Medical Devices Technology International Ltd (MDTi) have licensed the RhinoPinch®, a lightweight adjustable plastic nasal clip designed to staunch nosebleeds. MDTi developed the product in conjunction with Clinical Teaching and Research Fellow Dr Akuafo Agbenyega in partnership with NHS Ayrshire & Arran and Scottish Health Innovations Ltd (SHIL).

Following a period of refinement and trialling, the launch took place on Monday April 21 at 11.00am at NHS Ayrshire & Arran, CrosshouseHospital, Kilmarnock. It is the first of MDTi's products to be developed in Scotland.

The launch, chaired by Professor Bill Stevely CBE, Chair of Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board included contributions from Martin Levermore, Chief Executive of MDTi, the inventor Dr Akuafo Agbenyega, and Elaine Gemmell, Business Development Manager.

Nose bleeds (Epistaxis) traditionally affect a particular section of the population; children between 9 - 11 and older people. In older people a nose bleed can signify that there could be a problem with blood pressure. In children, a nosebleed can be an inconvenience and also quite alarming. One way to staunch a nose bleed is to apply even pressure across the bridge of the nose for a period of time, which often means a carer having to physically hold the patient's nose.

The RhinoPinch® is a cushioned, adjustable plastic clip designed to fit the nose snugly and comfortably, while applying pressure to the area just blow the bridge of the nose in order to halt the flow of blood. It is individually sterile-wrapped. In the past, care staff were often reduced to using a standard clothes peg. Apart from being unfit for purpose, a clothes peg does not meet infection control and has no padding to protect soft tissue around the nasal cartilage area.

The padding on the RhinoPinch® is made from a non latex foam used in orthopaedic care. The RhinoPinch® is made from a single piece of moulded plastic with ten adjustable catch points to ensure that the clip fits all noses, exerts the right amount of pressure to staunch blood flow while at the same time feeling comfortable to the patient. It is simple enough to be used by non-clinicians and the patient can be left with a RhinoPinch® attached while the clinician or carer can attend to other patients and duties, or other parts of the body needing immediate treatment. This is particularly useful for a paramedic at an accident scene, nursery teachers caring for groups of children and nursing staff at a busy A&E Department.

The RhinoPinch® is particularly useful when treating Hepatitis B and C carriers where blood flow should be dealt with quickly. It measures 4cms x 7cms, weighs just five grams, and is a disposable single patient use device. The RhinoPinch® is already available on NHS contract and is now available to A&E clinicians, paramedics and first-aiders everywhere.

Speaking after the launch, Martin Levermore said: "I am delighted to be in Scotland showcasing the RhinoPinch®. Scotland has a worldwide reputation for innovation and we are delighted to be involved in bringing the benefits of this latest invention to the healthcare community. I am particularly pleased that, due to the licensing arrangements we have agreed with SHIL, NHS Scotland will benefit every time a RhinoPinch® is sold anywhere in the world.

"The development of the RhinoPinch® and other MDTi products has been carried out by real clinicians in real trial conditions using real people, in answer to real needs and requirements. It is a simple but very effective solution to a common problem. We believe that the RhinoPinch® should be standard equipment for every paramedic, in every A&E department, and in every first aid box in the workplace and at home."

Dr Agbenyega, who was based at Crosshouse Hospital when he invented the RhinoPinch®, said "It has been very gratifying to be involved in today's launch as it is testament to the belief that so many people have shown in the original product idea.

"It takes a lot of work to get from a concept to something that is real and proven and still more work to make the product a success. Even though the RhinoPinch® is a wonderfully simple product, it would not have been possible to get it to launch without the support of my colleagues in Ayrshire and Arran Health Board and our partners at SHIL and MDTi."

Elaine Gemmell, Business Development Manager at SHIL added: "It has been very exciting working with both the clinicians and the Research and Development team at NHS Ayrshire & Arran to develop the RhinoPinch® product knowing that MDTi were signed up to push it to the wider market.

"The benefits of RhinoPinch® are such that we fully expect it to become a 'standard issue' product in the NHS and a familiar product in the wider healthcare community.

"The success of RhinoPinch® will demonstrate that new ideas from within NHS Scotland are worth pursuing. There will always be ways of improving patient care and it is NHS staff that are best placed to identify those opportunities. I hope that the RhinoPinch® story will encourage staff across NHS Scotland to come forward with their own ideas."

Prof. Stevely commented, "I am delighted to have been able to chair today's launch of the RhinoPinch®. Credit must go to Dr Agbenyega and the NHS Ayrshire and Arran's research and development team. It is extremely encouraging to know that our staff are not only focused on delivering exceptional patient care on a day to day basis but are also committed to improve the quality of treatment through the development of innovative products and techniques."