Pascal is a medical technology company that generates a more effective and safer synthetic polymer hydrogel for orthopedic, spinal and neurosurgeries
Our goal is to develop safe and effective medical devices that'll be used to seal and/or release antibiotics to surgical sites, stopping infections caused after surgery
The Problem
Surgical Site infection (SSI) are infections that occurs after surgery in parts of the body where surgery took place. Infections could be superficial and affecting the skin only but in more serious cases involve the tissues under the skin.
6% of 5 million spine, knee, shoulder, and hip surgeries exhibit surgical site infection annually, despite use of prophylactic and postoperative antibiotics.
SSI is disastrous in spine, orthopedic, neurosurgical and other practices. Antibiotics used to treat surgical sites are often cleared from the body in less that 2 hours while bacteria lingers on site.
Each SSI is associated with 7-11 additional postoperative hospital days. Orthopedic patients with an SSI are 2-11 times at risk of death.
1.6 Million spine surgeries are performed annually in the U.S. with a 7.9% CAGR, 10% involving dural tears needing sealed to prevent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks.
CSF leaks are a major cause of neurosurgical morbidity and have limited treatment options. Todays surgical sealants are limited by instantaneous gelation and dramatic swelling.
Our Solution
Advanced Synthetic Polymer Application
We developed and engineered a controlled thermo-responsive (body heat activated) click-hydrogel to fill and seal tissues on site to promote healing and stop leakage.
Click-Hydrogel secretes drugs and antibiotics directly onto surgical site with a sustained and prolonged delivery system for over 5 day period
Our elegant click-chemistry polyethylene (PEG) hydrogel does not swell after it is set (compared to continual swelling of over 500% for leading competing products), and our hydrogel is safe, compatible, and resorbs naturally after natural healing occurs.