The power of an idea: How two Liverpool University Hospitals staff members are standardising surgical care across the world

The LEAFix airway securing device

Two operating department practitioners (ODP) from Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LUHFT) are standardising care within theatres airway management through the development of a new innovative piece of equipment, a single patient-use, airway securing device – LEAFix.

In February 2014, Matt Cullinane and Rob Brothwood started to develop a new piece of equipment that would replace the need for surgical tape to fix a patients airway tube during surgery.

Matt said: “Whilst continuing our day jobs at LUHFT, we began to develop a product that would be better fit for purpose when fixing a patient’s airway tube during a procedure.  

“Between us, we had a lot of experience and knew that using surgical tape wasn’t the most efficient way to fix an airway tube. There were numerous issues with the current method so we decided we would create our own product.”

With several products on the market used in Intensive care, research found that there were no solutions appropriate for surgery. Therefore, a gap in the market was found and the two inventors began sourcing materials and developing prototypes.

“It was a 10-year process of ensuring we were creating the best product, which was affordable for the NHS and would further standardise the surgical process of fixating an air tube vital airway device.

“We also wanted to make it easier to use. Staff members in training found that using tape could be very difficult to master and there is no standardised way to affix an airway device, therefore, we wanted our product to be training friendly, so staff felt confident fixing an airway every time.”

When the final product was designed the team engaged with the Research and Innovation department at LUHFT as well as other teams, who supported the inventors to begin the process of bringing the product to market.

“The teams at LUHFT helped us enormously on our LEAFix innovation journey and the decision was made to license the intellectual product (IP) to a commercial partner, Pentland Medical.

“Pentland Medical had experience of selling similar products so it was the perfect match. The team have gone on to secure distributor partners across the world in places such as Europe, the USA and Brazil.”

With FDA approval, the final LEAFix product will be available to purchase globally and will be available on the NHS supply chain before the end of 2024.

Rob said: “LEAFix can be used in over 30 different ways, on all airway devices used in anaesthesia and on patients in every surgical position. We wanted to design the ultimate airway-securing device for the recommended use and we believe we have achieved our goal.

“LEAFix is a specifically designed, fit for purpose product, utilising a specifically selected foam material and adhesive which is extremely kind to all skin and hair types.

“This single-use product was designed, created, protected, and tested in-house here at LUHFT which shows the power of an idea.

“We are the staff working with patients every day and therefore have the most understanding of how we can improve patient care through innovation. I would urge everyone who has an idea to engage with the innovation team at LUHFT who will be able to support you through the process”.