Cook Medical (Bloomington, Indiana) has reported that its Women's Health Strategic Business Unit, launched in May of last year (Medical Device Daily, May 9, 2006), has grown 30%, citing the demand for gender-based medical solutions having grown "exponentially" over the past several years.

The company also said that much of the unit's growth is attributed to its ability to deliver to market several devices for various women's health conditions, such as the Bakri Postpartum Balloon to treat hemorrhage following childbirth, which occurs in 1% to 2% of all deliveries (MDD, July 18, 2007).

Christina Anné, global leader of Cook Women's Health, told Medical Device Daily that "basically our original concept just worked out."

That "concept" is succeeding not only in the U.S., but also Canada and South America, she said, noting that she expects the same performance ultimately in Europe, where most of its products also have been introduced. And the unit has more products in its pipeline, including products for pelvic floor repair and those for diagnostic purposes.

Part of that growth includes an expanded sales force by 50%, with those additions split into dedicated teams that focus either on assisted production or gynecology and obstetrics. That growth in the sales force has been greater in the U.S. than in Europe, Anné said.

Over the past year, Cook Women's Health said, it has expanded its focus to address the demand for gender-based medical options, including: pelvic floor repair using its Surgisis Biodesign product; high-risk obstetrics; assisted reproductive technology (ART); and gynecologic imaging.

Surgisis, the company said, combines the "attributes of synthetic mesh and biologic grafts offering a solution for pelvic floor repair that is resistant to infection, encapsulation and erosion." Cook said it has been "particularly useful" in treating pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The company estimates that POP will affect about 50% of women over the age of 55 and one out of three women who have given birth vaginally.

In ART, Cook launched the MINC Benchtop Incubator, which is designed to provide a stable environment for housing embryos during the in vitro process.

For gynecologic imaging, Cook offers the transcervical pelvic venogram, which is designed to diagnose pelvic congestion, which it says is the leading cause of pelvic pain in women. Anné said that this condition is often difficult to diagnose (MDD, Oct. 20, 2006).

Finally, Cook introduced the Goldstein Sonobiopsy Catheter designed to help clinicians diagnose the causes of abnormal uterine bleeding, with which more than 10 million women in the U.S. suffer, the company said.

"Women have unique and specific health concerns based on their body composition. To accurately and effectively address these issues, specialized tools and devices are needed," Anné said. "… our extraordinary growth over the past year clearly demonstrates that the market is clamoring for these specialized solutions which will help improve the quality of female patients' lives."