App Review: Biocomposites Companion

An Introduction to Biocomposites

Biocomposites is an international medical device manufacturer that develops and sells the world-leading products STIMULAN® and genex®, made for managing infections in bone and soft tissue. The company is based in the U.K., with global operations across Europe, the U.S., Canada, India, and China. Biocomposites’ product range is used in more than 100,000 procedures every year, and the products are sold in over 40 countries.

Musculoskeletal infections are one of the biggest healthcare challenges of our days. As the number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains continues to grow, at a rate outpacing the development of new antibiotic strategies, it is becoming increasingly challenging and complicated to deliver infection care. In this context, Biocomposites plays an essential role by offering an innovative void management device to complement infection management strategies.

What Is Biocomposites Companion and How Does It Work?

Biocomposites Companion is an app that makes critical user information available to healthcare professionals. Its purpose is to help surgeons and their staff make use of STIMULAN® and genex® in surgical procedures in the best possible way.

The development of the Biocomposites Companion app was spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the virus has made it impossible for Biocomposites sales representatives to be physically present during procedures. Now, the app can instead provide all the information the surgeons need to use STIMULAN® and genex®.

“The Biocomposites Companion app puts product preparation information, setting times and tips directly into the hands of the operating room staff. We are passionate about driving improved outcomes for surgeons and patients alike and the launch of the app is another step forward in that endeavor,” says Michael Harris, CEO of Biocomposites.

STIMULAN® and genex® Explained

STIMULAN® is an absorbable calcium sulfate antibiotic carrier. It is a product that has been designed to support the proactive management of dead space and surgical site infection. STIMULAN® is the only calcium matrix that is approved for this type of use in soft tissue and bone and for being mixed with gentamicin, tobramycin, and vancomycin.

genex® is a product used for bone healing. Complementing the natural healing process of the body, it helps the normal bone structure to rebuild at a steady rate. Over the course of 12 months, the graft is completely replaced by bone, leaving behind no foreign substances that may risk impairing the integrity of the new structure.

Biocomposites Companion App Pricing

The app is created as a complement to enhance the Biocomposites product range and is free of charge. Biocomposites Companion is available for download in the App Store and Play Store.

Benefits of Biocomposites Companion

Biocomposites is a world-leading provider of innovative calcium compounds made for use in surgical procedures. The products address a wide range of infection risks covering several specialties, such as musculoskeletal infection, trauma, spine, orthopedics, and podiatry. With the Biocomposites Companion, caregivers and surgeons get access to the exact information they need at the precise time they need it.

Infections are not only painful for the individual but also expensive to treat. In England, the total cost associated with deep wound infections is estimated at £100,000 per patient.

• 1% of primary hip and knee arthroplasties become infected.
• 16% of hip revisions need to be carried out because of infection.
• 23% of knee revisions need to be carried out because of infection.

And in the U.S., the annual hospital cost of treating infected revisions exceeds $1.62 billion. By combining the Biocomposites Companion app with Biocomposites products and choosing an innovative void management device to complement other infection management strategies, it is possible to:

• Minimize complications.
• Improve outcomes.
• Reduce costs.

Limiting and preventing infection is an important medical goal, both on an individual and societal level, and the Biocomposites Companion app helps to do just that.

What People Are Saying

So what do users think of the app? Let’s hear what some of them have to say.

Paige Bailey works as an Operating Room Manager at St. Mary’s Hospital in Camrose, Alberta, Canada. She finds the app supports her in giving her patients the best possible care and that it makes important information easy to access for the team:

“The Companion app helps us to provide safe and high-quality patient care. It enables any staff member to find valuable Biocomposites information quickly — pre-op or intra-op — and provide just-in-time teaching, OR efficiency, and excellent patient-centered outcomes.”

Mr. Abhijit Bhosale works as a Consultant Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon at the Barnsley Hospital in Barnsley, U.K. He appreciates the app interface and finds it helpful in his daily work:

“I think the Companion app is really easy to use and has all the info I need. It is a great help before my surgeries to refresh my memory about the products. What I like most are the preparation videos, antibiotic setting times, and the top tips which are always important.”

One of the Tools in the Toolbox to Fight Infection

Preventing and treating infection is an important task and a major challenge in health care today. Even more so, with the rapid rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains that cause havoc in hospitals and lives around the world. The Biocomposites Companion App puts crucial user information and instructions in the hands of surgeons and healthcare professionals to ensure they’re able to fully harness the power of STIMULAN® and genex® in surgical procedures and infection prevention. The app is intuitive and user-friendly, and it provides the practitioners with hands-on advice when and where they most need it.