BETHLEHEM, Pa., April 04, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- B. Braun Melsungen AG and Royal Philips (NYSE:PHG) (AEX:PHIA) will unveil a new strategic alliance at the B. Braun Medical Inc. booth at the American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA) and Acute Pain Medicine’s 42^nd annual conference. The new alliance with B. Braun, the global leader in regional anesthesia and pain management, and Philips, an industry leader in image-guided therapy solutions, aims to make regional anesthesia easier and more effective to perform, leading to enhanced patient care and hospital efficiency.

“B. Braun and Philips have joined forces to reimagine regional anesthesia, a rapidly growing alternative to general anesthesia that targets specific areas of a patient’s body that will undergo surgery or other medical procedures,” said Brad Lane, Vice President of Critical Care Marketing at B. Braun Medical. “Regional anesthesia’s advantages may lead to faster postsurgical recoveries, so patients may leave the hospital sooner.”

B. Braun and Philips are jointly developing solutions to support anesthesiologists and hospitals. As a platform to implement the alliance’s innovations, the Xperius™ ultrasound system will be previewed at the ASRA conference. Xperius is designed to be mobile, ergonomic and have an intuitive user interface. Xperius’ anatomical imaging complements B. Braun’s regional block needle portfolio and addresses the continued need for enhanced needle visualization and guidance.

Visitors to B. Braun’s booth (#307) will be able to see the Stimuplex^® and Ultraplex 360^® needles, including the new Stimuplex^® Ultra 360^® and Contiplex^® Ultra 360^®. The regional block needle portfolio includes stimulating, non-stimulating and echogenic single shot and continuous needles to match all clinical preferences.

B. Braun will offer an educational presentation based on the Sheffield Hallam University Study “Regional Block Needles: A Matter of Feel and Brightness.” The presentation will be made by study coauthor Dawn Cooper, PhD. The presentation will demonstrate evidence that the Stimuplex Ultra 360 is preferred by physicians for tactile qualities. Dr. Cooper is a Research Fellow at Sheffield Hallam University, Netherlands. The presentation by Dr. Cooper, who also is a Research Analyst for B. Braun UK, will start at 9:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. on April 7 and at 9:30 a.m. on April 8 in the B. Braun booth #307. Preregistration is not required.

Also at the ASRA show, being held April 6 to 8 at the Marriott Marquis in San Francisco, B. Braun representatives will be available in booth to discuss the B. Braun and Philips alliance, the Xperius ultrasound system, the regional anesthesia needle portfolio and NRFit™ connectors.

NRFit connectors are small bore connectors intended to reduce the risk of accidental misconnections of neuraxial devices with those used for IV, enteral and other applications. All health care facilities in the United States are expected to eventually convert to these types of neuraxial products to improve patient safety and meet the ISO standard. California is the first state to mandate the conversion in 2017 to ISO 80369-7 compliant connectors.

About B. Braun
B. Braun Medical Inc., a leader in infusion therapy and pain management, develops, manufactures, and markets innovative medical products and services to the health care industry. The company is committed to eliminating preventable treatment errors and enhancing patient, clinician and environmental safety. B. Braun Medical is headquartered in Bethlehem, Pa., and is part of the B. Braun Group of Companies in the U.S., which includes B. Braun Interventional Systems, Aesculap^® and CAPS^®.

Globally, the B. Braun Group of Companies employs more than 58,000 employees in 64 countries. Guided by its Sharing Expertise^® philosophy, B. Braun continuously exchanges knowledge with customers, partners and clinicians to address the critical issues of improving care and lowering costs. To learn more about B. Braun Medical, visit www.BBraunUSA.com.

Contact:
Jason Ford
B. Braun Medical Inc.
610.997.4722 
jason.ford@bbraun.com