Vancouver Surgeons honoured with Spine Society Award for Pre-Surgical Photodisinfection Protocol

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Mar. 11, 2019

Ondine Biomedical Inc. congratulates the Vancouver Coastal Health spine group, Vancouver Coastal Health Infection Control and Vancouver Spine Institute for being the recipient of the ‘Debbie Scarlett Award for Best Paper’ at the 19th Annual Scientific Conference of the Canadian Spine Society held February 27 – March 2, 2019 in Toronto.

The Vancouver Coastal Health spine group Abstract #75 titled “Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness of Photodynamic Therapy in Prevention of Surgical Site Infections” reported on findings of a 78% reduction in annual surgical site infections resulting in significant cost savings. The study team led by Drs. John Street, Titus Wong, Daniel Banaszek, Tom Inglis and Vancouver Spine Institute program surgeons, analyzed data from an 8-year evaluation of Ondine’s nasal photodisinfection technology in complex and high-risk spine surgery patients and reported on their results.

Deployment of a universal pre-surgical bundle including nasal decolonization resulted in reduction of spine surgical site infection rates from 7.2% to 1.6% (78% reduction, p<0.01, NNT=18). Study authors estimated 53 infections were avoided per year, at an annual cost savings of $4.24 million. Use of nasal photodisinfection was not associated with any adverse events.

About Photodisinfection Protocol at Vancouver Coastal Health:

Photodisinfection-based nasal decolonization therapy was first introduced at Vancouver Coastal Health for universal pre-surgical decolonization to reduce surgical site infections. In 2011, Dr. Elizabeth Bryce, Regional Medical Director for Infection Control at Vancouver Coastal Health Acute, led a multidisciplinary team involving the Division of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, the Department of Orthopaedics and the Peri-operative Care groups at Vancouver General Hospital and University of British Columbia Hospital. The original Vancouver Coastal Health decolonization team included:

• Surgery: Bas Masri; Gary Redekop
• Perioperative Services: Debbie Jeske; Claire Johnston; Kelly Barr; Shelly Errico; Anna- Marie MacDonald; Tammy Thandi; Lorraine Haas; Pauline Goundar; Lucia Allocca; Dawn Breedveld; Steve Kabanuk
• Infection Control: Elizabeth Bryce; Chandi Panditha; Leslie Forrester; Diane Louke; Tracey Woznow
• Medical Microbiology: Diane Roscoe; Titus Wong
• Patient Safety: Linda Dempster
• Quality Assurance, Training: Shelagh Weatherill

Having demonstrated significant patient safety outcomes and cost savings with the first ever deployment of universal nasal Photodisinfection, the VCH team received the 2013 Innovation Award of Excellence from the International Conference for Prevention and Infection Control (ICPIC), which is endorsed by the World Health Organization.

About Ondine Biomedical Inc.

Ondine Biomedical Inc. is a Vancouver based company dedicated to the development of non-antibiotic, anti-infective therapies for a broad-spectrum of bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Ondine’s antimicrobial program utilizes a platform technology called Photodisinfection, a light-activated approach developed to provide rapid antimicrobial efficacy and reduced risk of antibiotic resistance. With treatment time requiring only minutes, Photodisinfection-based nasal decolonization can be deployed just prior to surgery, without relying on patient compliance.

Contact
Ondine Biomedical Inc.
https://ondinebio.com
Angelika Vance | 1.604.838.2702 | avance@ondine-staging-202003-v3.mystagingwebsite.com