RJ Pierce, Tech Times 21 December 2021, 01:12 am
(Photo: Getty Images )
(Photo : Pixabay/ Jan Vašek )
A neuromuscular stimulator from the company First kind Ltd has finally gotten market approval from the US FDA.
Notebookcheck.net reports that the new smartwatch-like device, which is called Geko, looks very much like a smartwatch and fits around a wearer’s leg. It apparently prevents blood clots from forming by using electrical impulses that promote blood flow in the affected region.
It seems to be primarily designed for patients who are at high risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This condition is characterized by the formation of potentially harmful (even fatal) blood clots in the legs, and is prevalent in immobile people such as those confined to beds and wheelchairs.
According to the GekoDevices website, the tiny Geko neuromuscular stimulator can send out around 60 pulses into the leg per minute. These pulses are claimed to “mimic the body’s own nerve signals.” It is also incredibly light at just 10 grams.
Here is a YouTube video that demonstrates how the device works:
The device itself, however, is quite expensive. It costs $500 USD for a 5-piece pack, and couldn’t be bought over the counter without a prescription. But it seems that the price would be a fair one to pay for the convenience and effectiveness of the device.
As per the product page, the stimulator is able to mitigate DVT development at up to 60% the effectiveness of standing up and walking. Furthermore, patients can also fit the device on their own with little assistance-all it takes is around a minute to put it on as per the original Notebookcheck.net report.
The Geko stimulator was first introduced in 2019 as a “half wristwatch” intended to lessen the risk of blood clots in stroke patients. Only now has it received its much-coveted FDA market approval.
The Geko Neuromuscular Stimulator: A Potential Lifesaver
Not a lot of people know that DVT can be a pretty prolific killer, and the numbers prove it.
While precise figures are unavailable, according to the CDC, official estimates believe that as much as 900,000 individuals can be afflicted with the condition in the United States alone.
Of this estimated number, around 60,000 to as much as 100,000 Americans will die from DVT, with the death coming within a single month of diagnosis in 10%-30% of all patients. But should a patient survive, they will have to live with long-term complications. This includes discoloration, pain, and swelling in the affected leg.
Death rates can even go as far as someone dying from DVT or a blood clot every five minutes, according to Science Daily.
But what’s even more dangerous is how easy you can get it. In today’s age when a lot of people live sedentary lives, you can get DVT by doing things such as binge watching Netflix or hours-long video game marathons-essentially being a couch potato.
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