Kerala-based HLL (Hindustan Lifecare Ltd), a public sector global healthcare company, will manufacture a device for limb immobilizer, which is considered crucial for treating a patient suffering fractures in a trauma case.
The low-cost, disposable and eco-friendly limb immobilization device, under the brand name Relligo has been developed by Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL), a company promoted by Department of Biotechnology, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
In any trauma case, the most common extremity injuries are fractures, dislocation, sprain, strain or contusions resulting from either blunt, penetrating or crush type of injuries, which are typically associated with road traffic accidents.
In order to prevent the situation of major complications and to treat extremity injuries, the most important thing is to treat all bone, joint, and muscle injuries in the first 4-6 hours of pre-hospital care (while the patient is on his way to hospital) and within the hospital while lying unattended where immobilizing the injured limb is important but which is not being practised efficiently in the current scenario due to lack of proper devices.
Realizing this unmet clinical need, Relligo will provide a better way to temporarily immobilize injured lower limbs in trauma patients before they receive definitive care.
There are few products in the market addressing this need, including SAM splint, vacuum splint, wooden planks, Thomas splint and Cramer wire. Very few are available in Indian market, and those available are either not affordable or not designed keeping Indian scenario into consideration.
“Relligo will be a useful device in the Indian conditions, considering its performance of immobilization, non-hindrance during diagnostic procedures, cost and usability,” says M. Ayyappan, chairman and managing director, HLL.
Easy to apply, the ‘one size fits all’ device has been designed specifically for pre-hospital care settings in India. It is a single device for right or left limb with better “wrapping effect” and its strapping mechanism immobilizes for six hours. It is safe to use, easier and safer while performing other procedures with the device deployed and also leads to reduction of pain.
AIIMS has given ethical clearance for conducting clinical trials, and it has already been successfully completed.
Set up in 1966, HLL Lifecare Limited (HLL) manufactures contraceptives, hospital and Ayurvedic products and women’s healthcare products.
