Skip to Main Content

Applications

A new frontier for medical device innovation

Power in a Smaller Package

The biggest challenges for single-use, handheld medical device innovation has always been ergonomics and performance. To help design a device with the right amount of power to get the job done in a convenient, easy-to-use form factor is our specialty.

Historically, available power sources have been too bulky, and too expensive with unnecessary features and functionality for single-use medical devices. This resulted in oversized, heavy, handheld devices that are not user friendly.

Picocyl has solved this problem. Our pico-cylinders are filled with the optimum amount of pressurized gas to power your device to get the job done. No more, no less. It’s that simple.

Furthermore, we know how to release the gas reliably and integrate the sub-system with your medical device through proven packaging techniques.

With the smallest possible package of stored energy, right sized for your medical application, our application engineers can support your design tasks to develop effective, self-powered medical devices that maximize performance, ergonomics and ease of use.

Innovative Customers in Emerging Markets

Since pico-cylinders are force multipliers that allow higher control for power-assisted devices, the innovation potential is endless.

Imagine being able to offer a new class of medical device products and designs with more reliable and user-friendly power delivery systems across many emerging markets, including:

Auto-injectors & Bolus Injectors

  • Higher viscosity biologic drugs
  • Large injection volumes

Implant Inserters

  • Intraocular lenses
  • Glaucoma shunts and stents
  • Dental implants
  • Orthopedic implants

Micro-volume Injectors

  • Gene vectors
  • Stem cell therapy
  • Tumor targeting

Self-powered Injectors

  • Dentistry
  • Cosmetic enhancement procedures

Case Studies

Pharmaceutical companies with innovative delivery platforms

Pharmaceutical companies leading the industry through innovative delivery systems to improve the standard of care for patients have chosen Picocyl to partner with for gas-powered delivery. Pico-cylinders have been integrated into medical delivery devices by innovative pharmaceutical companies for life-threatening and other medical conditions. Pharmaceutical companies are now able to deliver their drugs with confidence that the correct dosage, in the expected delivery time, with the best practices for human factors are accomplished.

Delivery systems that treat life-threatening conditions rely on pico-cylinders.

Legacy delivery systems relying on under-powered springs, or over-kill, expensive battery driven platforms or human coordinated strength are lesser alternatives. Innovative pharmaceutical companies know this and are working towards introducing new generations of delivery devices for the improved caregivers and patient confidence.

What can pico-cylinders do for your next generation drug delivery devices?

See more +

Biologic drug delivery with greater success

Higher viscosities and larger injection volumes are key challenges with the newer class of biologic drugs. Attempting to deliver these new treatments with spring-powered devices results in larger, less ergonomically friendly injector devices, which are prone to misuse and even non-use.

With the power to deliver high viscosity, large volume formulations in short or programmed periods of time, new biologic drug-compatible auto-injectors and wearable bolus injectors can greatly benefit from Picocyl’s compressed-gas pico-cylinders. The smooth, silent release of power can reduce syringe breakage and ease patient concerns.

The pico-cylinder low-activation force eliminates the need for bulky, difficult-to-activate device mechanisms, reducing your device development time and making your injector easier to use.

What can pico-cylinders do for your next generation drug delivery devices?

See more +

Implant delivery with smooth, controlled insertion

Picocyl-powered devices are being used to treat cataract vision disorders. Ophthalmologists performing cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation are now benefiting from the compact power delivery that pico-cylinders provide. Historically, Intraocular Lens (IOL) implants have typically been inserted manually with devices that require loading of the IOL and two-handed operation of the inserter. Other legacy solutions automated the IOL insertion with a reusable, bulky, noisy, difficult-to-handle electric-powered inserter or use a pre-loaded, single-use, single-handed, manual inserter. These inferior options were ergonomically challenging and required very skilled support staff.

Pico-cylinders made it possible for our customer to introduce the world’s first and only automated, pre-loaded, single-use, single-handed inserter with market-leading smooth, silent operation and precision-controlled IOL insertion.

These new pico-cylinder powered devices allow surgeons to focus on positioning their instruments without the need to impart energy into the device, allowing easy implant insertion with precision and accuracy.

Now, with fingertip control and the low actuation forces that pico-cylinders allow, surgeons can easily actuate and precisely control intraocular lens insertion in a light-weight, single-use device. And best of all, patients are receiving consistent and efficient surgical results.

How can pico-cylinders support your new implant inserter device objectives?

See more +

Therapeutic gas delivery with greater ease

Ophthalmic gas is frequently used in the treatment of retinal diseases. As an adjunct to retina surgery, gas is transferred from a large lecture bottle, mixed with filtered ambient air and delivered to the patient’s eye. Historically, the gas preparation process is laborious and error prone, at times resulting in undesirable patient outcomes.

Our customer challenged us with a request to package two types of very pure gases into single-use pico-cylinders. We embraced the challenge and developed a one-of-a-kind valved pico-cylinder as well as a method to further purify the laboratory-grade sulfur hexafluoride and perfluoropropane gases, resulting in two new pico-cylinder components.

These new ophthalmic gas components enabled our customer to develop very simple-to-use gas preparation and delivery devices with the gas integrated within the device. Surgical workflow for gas preparation and delivery for injection during retina surgical procedures was greatly enhanced. The number of steps required and the time to prepare the gas was greatly reduced. But more importantly, patient treatment was improved and patient risk was reduced.

Contact us to see how we can support your next therapeutic gas delivery device project.

See more +