A Novel GI Bleed Solution: SmartClips Achieving and Maintaining Hemostasis

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeds were the cause of over 3.6 million ambulatory hospital visits in 2010. These bleeds are staunched using devices like GI clips, which have rebleed rates of up to 20%. GI clips must be used in combinations of three or more in order to perform; however, with current designs only one hemostatic clip can be inserted into the body at a time. This leads to lengthy procedures for gastroenterologists, of whom 89% report musculoskeletal pain related to the volume of endoscopies performed. There is a need for an endoscopic device that can insert multiple GI clips at a time to effectively achieve and maintain hemostasis for patients with GI bleeds, while maintaining ergonomics for procedural staff.