Client: James Browning, Mpathy Medical Devices Limited

Product: Mpathy Mesh for Hernia Repair
www.mpathy.org

The situation: The majority of hernias are now repaired using prosthetic materials to add support to the tissue. Serious complications and recurrences are rare, but many patients still complain of pain and discomfort. Knowing that textile characteristics and variations can influence the behaviour of the mesh in vivo, Mpathy Medical Devices had developed an ultralightweight mesh for use in abdominal wall repair.

Mountain Ash Consulting's role: We were asked to investigate current practice and trends in the hernia repair market, and to identify the various textile characteristics and how they might affect clinical outcome. Finally, we were asked to quantify the opportunity for Mpathy Mesh in the hernia repair market.

Implementation: Our initial approach was by researching recent clinical papers and trials in this field and then by contacting the authors for further information. This was used as the input for 1-to-1 interviews and email questionnaires which validated the market situation. In-depth discussions with surgeons and textile experts allowed us to build up a database of the textile variations how they affect clinical practice.

Results: The result was a detailed report outlining the current market scenario, what the ideal mesh for hernia repair could be and how well Mpathy mesh met these requirements. We also created a value proposition for the use of mesh for open and laparoscopic repair inguinal hernia repair and also for incisional hernia repair, highlighting the various benefits for each operation.

Further development work has been carried out on Mpathy Mesh, including work on new packaging and a clinical study. Mpathy mesh was recently launched in the UK.