Seat belt to protect implanted medical devices

31 August 2006

Los Angeles, USA. Pressure Products has launched the SoftTouch device for attaching to a seat belt to reduce impact forces over an implantable device when the wearer is in a vehicle crash.

The SoftTouch device creates a soft barrier between the seat belt, the implanted medical device, and the soft tissues surrounding it. It also adds to the comfort of the patient in normal use.

Invented by Scott Haack, MD, an emergency room physician, it has been proven in crash testing to greatly reduce impact forces over an implantable device by as much as 34%.

As an added benefit, SoftTouch may be labelled with important information indicating to emergency medical personnel the existence of an implantable pacemaker, cardiac defibrillator or implantable chemotherapy port.

"The patented SoftTouch Protection System will now be available in all world markets for patients with implantable pacemakers, defibrillators and chemotherapy ports. This patented protection and comfort system has been proven in crash test studies conducted by the Transportation Research Center to reduce impact forces to implanted medical devices by as much as 34%. In addition, the SoftTouch device greatly improves comfort where the seat belt presses against implantable devices and further alerts Emergency Medical Personnel of the existence of an implanted medical device in the event of an automobile accident," stated Bruce N. Goldreyer, MD, Vice President and Medical Director, Pressure Products, Inc.

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