Our innovation is a breakthrough ureteric stent designed to address the high failure rates seen in existing stents due to crystal and bacterial deposits—an ongoing challenge in urology, especially for oncology patients. While standard stents are claimed to last up to 12 months, many fail within just a few weeks, necessitating frequent and costly replacements. This increases patient risks due to repeated general anaesthesia and places strain on healthcare resources. Our advanced stent, developed through computational and experimental modelling, offers significantly improved durability and biocompatibility, reducing the need for frequent replacements. Following successful laboratory and animal testing, our technology is now undergoing a first-in-human clinical investigation, supported by the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research). The potential impact is transformative: for the NHS, it could lead to annual savings of up to £200 million, reduced medical plastic waste, and increased hospital bed availability. This innovation promises a vastly improved quality of life for patients, reducing their exposure to hospitals, minimising anaesthesia risks, and enabling a healthier, fuller life.
Sooba Medical
