NIA Small Business Showcase: Piccolo Medical, Inc.

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With more than 3 million peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) placed in the United States every year, the need for highly accurate bedside placement confirmation is paramount. Existing PICC tip confirmation systems are limited in patients with abnormal cardiac rhythm and have variable accuracy rates in all patients. Independent peer-reviewed literature indicates that as many as 56% of PICCs placed in intensive care units are misplaced when using the market leading BD Sherlock 3CG™ technology.

Piccolo Medical’s SmartPICC® System utilizes the intravascular electrocardiogram (ECG) technique for PICC tip confirmation. In addition, Piccolo’s novel ionic dilution technology characterizes the blood flow conditions at the tip of a catheter and provides visual feedback to the user to help determine anatomical location. With this dual-vector technology, the SmartPICC® System has the potential to become the most accurate, reliable, and easy-to-use PICC navigation system on the market. In addition, by not relying entirely on the patient’s ECG, the SmartPICC® System has the potential to provide tip confirmation in patients with abnormal rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation.

Globally, a total of 8.5 million PICCs are placed each year, driving approximately $1 billion in annual revenue. The U.S. PICC market alone drives approximately $550 million annually, with more than 3 million PICCs placed each year. Historically, PICC tip confirmation was achieved by X-ray or fluoroscopy, but a clear trend toward minimizing patient radiation, improving nurse efficiency, and reducing overall health care costs has led to a sharp increase in the use of bedside tip confirmation systems over the past decade.

The Piccolo SmartPICC® System has the potential to become the most accurate tip confirmation system on the market. By ensuring that all PICCs are placed accurately and eliminating the need for expensive and time consuming X-rays, the SmartPICC® System can improve patient outcomes and hospital profit margins.