The Origins of OtoSet®
From a young age, SafKan Health’s co-founder and CTO, Aadil, would often be affected by conductive hearing loss. This can be a frightening experience for anyone, especially children, as it was for Aadil. The reason for his conductive hearing loss was impacted earwax.
Throughout his childhood, Aadil often found himself at his primary care physician for a procedure to remove the buildup of earwax that accumulated in his ear canals. And while Aadil wasn’t alone - more than 35 million Americans are affected by an accumulation of this otherwise naturally-occurring substance - it was these regularly-scheduled physician visits that would influence him, and his brother Sahil, both personally and professionally.
The Impact of Impacted Earwax
The American Academy of Otolaryngology reports that 1 in 10 children, 1 in 20 adults, and 1 in 3 adults who are 65 and older have excessive or impacted earwax. Not only is impacted earwax the leading cause of conductive hearing loss, but it can also produce a range of symptoms including pain, vertigo, tinnitus, itching, and coughing. If left untreated, these symptoms can worsen and lead to health complications.
In the United States alone, there are an estimated 20 million visits to healthcare professionals for the earwax removal procedure annually. Primary care physicians, otolaryngologists, and audiologists are all healthcare professionals that patients can visit for ear syringing, micro-suction, or curettage - methods used to remove impacted earwax. And while this is an incredibly common procedure, it has seen little innovation over the last 200 years!
Meanwhile, most other instruments related to our ears and hearing health have, over time, evolved into highly advanced and sophisticated devices. From earbuds to hearing aids, we are seeing sleek, streamlined instruments that not only look great but are also reliable and convenient to use. For the many millions who suffer from impacted earwax, ear syringing - indeed, even its name brings a shudder - is often the only option available for relief.
After 200 Years of the Same Old Procedure…
After becoming a biomedical engineer, Aadil drew inspiration from his own experiences. It dawned on him that this procedure of ear syringing needed innovation. He further recognized that innovation of this common procedure could unburden the lives of millions of patients and healthcare professionals alike.
Taking into account all of the inconveniences related to ear syringing, he set out to invent a device that incorporated the precision and accuracy required in health and medicine into a streamlined and easy-to-operate package that was recognizable and not intimidating for patients.
Thus, OtoSet® was born.
Meet OtoSet®
As the SafKan Health team began researching and developing OtoSet®, they learned the true scale of this problem and how frustrating today’s earwax removal procedure is for both patients and healthcare professionals.
The lack of advancements has left healthcare professionals with time-consuming, messy, and antiquated options to provide relief to their patients. This is why millions of patients are referred out to high-cost otolaryngologists every year.
SafKan Health is out to change things for the tens of millions of Americans like its founder. The OtoSet® Ear Cleaning System is the first automated and FDA cleared ear cleaning device for clinical use, which is now available to healthcare professionals. The team at SafKan Health has also started developing a consumer version for home use.
At the push of a button, OtoSet® combines liquid flow and micro-suction technology to automatically break down and remove impacted earwax for a quick, safe, effective, and mess-free earwax removal procedure. Rooted in Aadil’s past, this exciting medical innovation is helping to bring ear care into the 21st century.