Customer discovery for minimally invasive nerve block device to treat severe pain and reduce usage of opiates

摘要： 开胸手术是最痛苦的外科手术之一，患者有很高的发展风险。 阿片类药物成瘾最近的研究表明，在服用阿片类药物后，七分之一的患者成为新的持续阿片类药物使用者。 手术后身体完全恢复。阿片类药物成瘾的最大风险因素是 处方阿片类药物摆在首位，Thermaquil希望通过开发 患者控制的、无药物的、可逆的神经阻滞装置。我们的方法包括温和地加热， 我们相信所有哺乳动物和两栖动物的神经都是 对热神经阻滞敏感在这个I-Corps提案的父STTR中，我们特别强调 阻断传递严重胸部疼痛的肋间神经。该系统至少包括 侵入式热尖端和外部佩戴的控制器/电源单元。热尖端将主要是 由胸外科医生、区域（外周）麻醉师和介入疼痛专家插入 - 因此，这些角色中的人可能是我们I-Corps客户发现工作的最初目标。 Thermaquil拥有一支高度敬业的团队，由世界知名的神经外科思想领袖组成， 神经病理学、麻醉学、疼痛、计算流体动力学和热建模，以及 法规事务。我们已经设计并制造了四代热设备原型， 经验证，其热性能符合预期，可达到热神经阻滞效果。 热神经阻滞可能适用于广泛的人类疼痛状况。在这个I军团中 项目，我们要确认，我们正在选择最理想的初始目标市场，我们是 开发正确的产品，以充分满足市场和所有关键利益相关者的关键需求， 生态系统这一拟议的客户发现将完善Thermaquil的市场战略，包括 我们的价值主张，同时也开始探索报销和收入考虑因素， 确保我们选定的市场在经济上是可行的。如果发现新的市场需求， 块设备或方法可以被调整以最好地满足更好理解的需要。另外还 寻求了解当前手术和患者/护理团队的工作流程和机遇/挑战 目前的方法。我们想澄清我们可以帮助每个利益相关者完成什么样的“工作”， 他们想要达到的结果。这将帮助我们定义一个理想的产品市场适合 确认我们正在以正确的技术解决方案接近正确的立足点市场。我们还 我喜欢确定决策者在考虑新的 止痛药Thermaquil承诺采访100多名关键利益相关者，以澄清这些要点 并计划参加1-2次全国疼痛专家和胸麻醉医师会议。

Abstract: Thoracotomy is one of the most painful surgical procedures and patients are at high risk of developing opioid addiction. Recent studies have shown 1 in 7 patients became new persistent opioid users after physical recovery from the surgery was complete. The largest risk factor for opioid addiction is being prescribed opioids in the first place, and Thermaquil wants to reduce this incidence by developing patient-controlled, drug-free, reversible nerve block devices. Our approach involves gently warming and cooling a short segment of any nerve, and we believe that all mammalian and amphibian nerves are susceptible to thermal nerve blocks. In the parent STTR to this I-Corps proposal, we are specifically blocking intercostal nerves that transmit severe thoracic-region pain. The system includes a minimally invasive thermal tip and an externally worn controller/power unit. The thermal tip will be primarily inserted by thoracic surgeons, regional (peripheral) anesthesiologists and interventional pain specialists – so people in these roles will likely be the initial targets of our I-Corps Customer Discovery work. Thermaquil has a highly engaged team of world renowned thought-leaders in neurosurgery, neuropathology, anesthesiology, pain, computational fluid dynamics and thermal modeling, and regulatory affairs. We have designed and built four generations of thermal device prototypes and validated their thermal performance matches expectations to attain thermal nerve block efficacy. Thermal nerve block is potentially applicable to a wide range of human pain conditions. In this I-Corps project we want to confirm that we are selecting most ideal initial target market and that we are developing the right product to fully meet the critical needs of the market and all key stakeholders in the ecosystem. This proposed Customer Discovery will refine Thermaquil’s go to market strategy including our value proposition while also starting to explore reimbursement and revenue considerations to make sure that our selected market is viable financially. If new market needs are identified, alternate nerve block devices or approaches could be adapted to best meet the better understood need. Specifically we seek to understand current surgical and patient / care team workflows and opportunities/challenges with current approaches. We’d like to clarify what ‘job’ we can help each stakeholder accomplish and the outcomes that they are trying to achieve. This will help us define an ideal product-market-fit to confirm that we are approaching the right foothold market with the right technical solution. We’d also like to identify other constraints and concerns that decision-makers will have when considering new pain block solutions. Thermaquil commits to interview over 100 key stakeholders to clarify these points and plans to attend 1-2 national conferences for pain specialists and thoracic anesthesiologists.