Ireland's MedTech Sector and the Development of New Medical Technologies
Ireland has developed a strong international reputation in medical technology, bringing together clinical expertise, engineering, research and medical-device development.
It provides an environment in which ambitious healthcare ideas can be transformed into technologies with the potential to address global clinical needs.
PerQHern is part of that innovation story.
Innovation From Ireland
Based in Dublin, PerQHern is developing a new approach to one of the world's most commonly performed surgical procedures: inguinal hernia repair.
The company's founders, Dr John Clarke and Professor David Keane, each bring more than two decades of experience in the development, design and engineering of minimally invasive delivery systems.
That experience is now being applied to the development of a percutaneous inguinal hernia repair platform.
Combining Clinical and Engineering Expertise
Successful MedTech development requires different disciplines to work together.
Clinicians understand the problem that needs to be solved. Engineers determine how an idea can be transformed into a practical medical device. Researchers generate evidence, while manufacturing and regulatory expertise help move a technology towards clinical use.
This multidisciplinary approach is particularly important when attempting to rethink an established treatment.
From Ireland to a Global Healthcare Challenge
Inguinal hernia repair is performed on a huge scale internationally. PerQHern's own technical overview cites an estimated 20 million groin hernia repairs annually. Read More
Even incremental improvements in such a common procedure can therefore have significant implications.
The opportunity for PerQHern is greater still: rather than simply making a small change to an established operation, the company is developing a new method of delivering the repair.
It's an example of the type of ambitious medical-device innovation that Ireland's growing MedTech ecosystem can help foster.
