Cook Medical and LMA Urology Ltd Forge Global Partnership

An estimated 12% of the population are expected to suffer from stone disease at some point in their lives and studies predict that environmental factors will only force that number to grow in many areas of the United States. To help ensure there is a fast, effective treatment option available to individuals with urinary stones, Cook Medical and LMA Urology Ltd have entered into a strategic partnership that can significantly improve the remedies available for stone disease management. Through the worldwide agreement, Cook will market and distribute LMA’s StoneBreaker, a portable pneumatic, endoscopic lithotripter for stone fragmentation. StoneBreaker is a powerful, easy-to manage and cost-effective lithotripter, and will be marketed in conjunction with Cook’s own cutting-edge portfolio of stone management technologies and devices. Together, they provide urologists across the globe with a highly effective, end-to-end solution for treating kidney, ureteral and bladder stones, reducing procedure times and improving overall patient care.

The LMA StoneBreaker is a proprietary device that is highly effective in the treatment of urinary stone disease. The StoneBreaker’s unique, compact, ergonomic design makes it easier to manage than comparable lithotripters, reducing the procedure time for fragmentation and removal of stones. Additionally, there is minimal probe movement during the procedure allowing for safer stone fragmentation and reduced stone migration. Powered by a cartridge of high-pressure carbon dioxide gas, the StoneBreaker delivers a higher probe-tip velocity at impact to successfully break stones in one procedure, thus eliminating the need for additional costly procedure time and patient discomfort.

Dr. Demetrius Bagley, the Nathan Lewis Hatfield Professor of Urology at Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson Medical Center and an internationally recognized expert in endourology, has recently concluded a study on use of the StoneBreaker. He notes, “The StoneBreaker has a number of advantages. It is comfortable to use, portable and relatively inexpensive compared to other types of endoscopic lithotripters. Used with a rigid endoscope, the probe provides excellent stone fragmentation. The stone starts breaking with minimal migration. Unlike laser lithotripters, the StoneBreaker requires no special team to perform the procedure.”

Commenting on the Cook Medical partnership, Dr. Markus Haller, president of LMA Urology said, “We are delighted to have Cook Medical as our partner. The company’s vast expertise in urology, combined with its substantial marketing and sales capability will allow us to achieve global market penetration for the StoneBreaker. Together, our companies provide today’s urologists with a comprehensive solution for stone management.”

“We are very excited to be working with LMA, a company that continues to demonstrate product excellence and quality-focused innovation in treatment of stone disorders,” says Jerry French, senior vice president and global strategic business leader for Cook Medical’s urology division. “Together we offer an industry leading stone management technology that provides urologists worldwide with a more comprehensive approach to treat kidney, ureteral and bladder stones, minimizing procedure time and improving overall patient care.”

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