© 2021 by PressCise AB
© 2021 by PressCise AB
© 2021 by PressCise AB
Abstract published in LER Magazine!
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Company history
How it all began...
Explore the fascinating journey of PressCise AB and how our vision for perfect compression led to revolutionary innovations!
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Origins of Perfection
In 2007, surgeon and professor Dr. Erney Mattsson found that conventional bandages didn’t allow for the proper compression treatment – either the pressure was too high and uncomfortable for the patient, or else it was too loose and lost its therapeutic effect. He challenged mathematician and professor Torbjörn Lundh with a crucial question: Is it possible to invent a bandage with indicators to visualize perfect stretching force?
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Innovating with Mathematics
In 2008, professor Lundh applied theoretical and mathematical principles to solve the problem. Over the following years, properties of various elastic materials were investigated and prototypes were made. At this stage, professor Lundh had an epiphany: he realized that an ideal bandage should not have indicators to visualize the stretch. Rather, a perfect bandage should automatically deliver the correct pressure and dosage of compression treatment. Guidelines should only be needed for easy application.
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The First Working Prototype
In 2011, CTO and co-Inventor Josefin Damm from Smart Textiles University of Borås, Sweden started managing the project and this resulted in the first working bandage prototype (2012) and the concept was then patented (2013).
Founding PressCise AB
The company PressCise AB was created in 2014, and the first clinical study was initiated.
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Bridging Innovation and Market
By the end of 2016, CEO Andreas Nilsson, equipped with a research background on compression, was recruited to bridge the gap between advanced textile technology and the medical market, all while focusing strategically on attracting venture capital.
Expanding Lundatex® Innovations
Over the next four years, necessary clinical studies were launched while PressCise’s line of Lundatex® innovations expanded to include patented products such as the Lundatex® System Cohesive, Lundatex® Stocking and Lundatex® Sock, among others.
Advancing Quality and Compliance
Between 2020 – 2022, PressCise AB continued to improve its products with advice from industry-leading clinical experts. All products were updated to be compliant with the Medical Device Regulation (MDR).
A New Chapter with Wernli AG...
In 2023, PressCise was acquired by Swiss bandage manufacturer Wernli AG. With Wernli’s expertise in bandage manufacturing and established lines of distribution, PressCise is excited to continue developing its line of innovative, smart and user-friendly compression products for the global market.
An ancient problem
The use of compression bandages as a medical treatment is a time-honored technique. The ancient Greeks practiced it, and a mural painting in the Tassili caves in Sahara dating back to 5000-2500 B.C. even show a person in bandage. However, little has changed with how bandages have been applied since those ancient times - until now.
The pressure given by a bandage has been, and still is, in the hands of the person applying it. The pressure applied has been investigated in several studies where experienced nurses have participated. The results from these are clear: it’s next to impossible to achieve a specific pressure, and the damage can be irreparable for the patient.
Compression bandages are used on patients with, for example, venous and/or arterial insufficiency. A correct sub-bandage pressure is crucial to give an efficient treatment without reducing blood flow which, in the worst case, can lead to amputation.
Our goal is for every compression treatment to be controlled; in the same way syringes give exact dosages when administered intravenously, external venous treatment should be quantifiable. This means that the sub-bandage pressure needs to be programmed into the bandage material.
The PressCise strategy
Our bandage is the result of collaboration between a mathematician, a surgeon and a textile developer. The surgeon, Dr. Erney Mattsson, saw an unsolved problem with the bandage he used in his practice; the mathematician, Prof. Torbjörn Lundh, solved the problem with a mathematical formula. The mathematical formula was handed over to Josefin Damm, the textile developer, who interpreted it into a textile.
Our textile material originates from the mathematical theory of Laplace's Law. When using this in the concept of sub-bandage pressure, it tells us that the pressure is a result of the number of overlaps, the force used when bandaging, and the curvature of the leg. Each overlap adds pressure and a higher force will increase the pressure. The curvature is the factor that makes it complicated; on a smaller leg the curvature is sharper and, therefore, a smaller force is needed to achieve the same pressure as on the curvature of a thicker leg. This means that the pressure on the ankle will be higher than on the calf if the same force and overlap is used. Our bandage has taken all these factors into consideration in order to fulfil the goal of controlled compression therapy for everyone.
An optimal bandage has to work with the three factors influencing the sub-bandage pressure; the elastic properties of the textile material have to be correct and precise. The perfect material would make the factors of force and curvature work together; if a smaller force is used on a smaller circumference and a higher force is used on a larger circumference, the resulting pressure on the leg would be same for all circumferences. Moreover, with visual guides on the bandage, the overlap and force can be controlled. Our conclusion was that a material with visual guides, coupled with specific elastic properties, would make the force and the curvature neutralize each other - resulting in a uniform, precise pressure.
As there was no existing textile material with correct elastic properties presently on the market, extensive product development was made in order to get a product that achieved our goal of precise compression treatment for a leg of any size.
The resulting product
The knitted textile construction that makes Lundatex® Bandage has very specific properties. Further, visual guides on the bandage control the overlap and the force used during application. This results in a bandage with a mathematical formula built into a textile material. With this, we can guarantee that a precise pressure is given to the leg, independent of applier, size and shape of the leg, and if the leg is in resting position or active. It is truly a smart bandage!
Another important result from using Lundatex® Bandage is that with even, uniform pressure comes better comfort. This, in turn, will make the patient more likely to keep the bandage on. The result is thereby a higher compliance rate – an important factor for better compression treatment and successful outcomes.
Lundatex® Bandage is the result of an interdisciplinary collaboration; medicine, mathematics and textile development. The warp-knitted textile that the bandage is made of has elastic properties and visual guides to give anyone the confidence to apply a bandage on anyone. As long as one follows the guides on the bandage, anyone – be it a nurse or someone's relative – can give controlled compression therapy to a leg of any size.
