Problem
Description of the Innovation: What is this innovation? How does this innovation compare to existing alternatives and what are the advantages of this innovation compared to these alternatives, including standard practice?
Context
The company was created by dr. Yuliya Boruch - OBGYN Nurse Practitioner and midwife with 20 years of OB-GYN experience. Running a small private ob-gyn practice in the heart of Manhattan- Yuliya noticed that that one area of women's health was overlooked and never addressed.
• Use of menstrual product s such as tampons , menstrual cups and disk increased tremendously in the past decade. As women and teen girls living active life styles these menstrual products became invaluable in our every day live. Girls are able to participate in competitive sports such as gymnastics and swimming without a shame of being bled- through. Tampons and other menstrual products freely available for usage in schools and other educational facilities. But with all these availability there are risks that no-one is talking about and in 100 year history of tampons being on market - its a gap that Tampout product is trying to close.
Problem: Women come in different sizes and shapes outside as well as inside. Unique pelvic anatomy and vaginal configurations- let market to create thousand of different size and shapes of tampons and menstrual cups. However, these products sometimes able to "hide" on the posterior wall of vagina and women is unable to remove either product.
Menstrual cups or disks can create seals around cervix- and requires women to go inside with a finger , break a seal and remove the device. Due to certain anatomy restrains- the fingers are too short or there is not enough room to "break" the seal - and woman end up in doctors's office or ER for removal. Today, in order to remove a retained menstrual product- woman needs to physically come-in to the office for provider to remove retained product.
Same comes with Tampon usage- once its soaked - or the tampon strings becomes tanged behind the cervix- woman is unable to retrieve her tampon and this creates a " perfect storm" from deadly condition called Toxic Shock Syndrome TSS. In 21st century women still develop TSS from retained tampons 6 women in 100,000 per year and 1 in 100, 000 with lethal outcome. Yes, we send people to mars and moon and still have women die from using a simple form of personal hygiene. It only takes few days for retain tampon to have risk of Bacteria growth ( Staphylococcus aureus) and to travel inside body and cause septic-like symptoms ( fever, chills). Many of these symptoms are often mistaken for common cold or flu- thus making TTS development more dangerous and deadly.
Product description: ( take description and usage from patent/trademark info)
Tampout is a patent-pending , medical-grade silicone, soft and flexible finger device that can be used by woman in the comfort of women's home to search and retrieve possible retained menstrual products such as tampons, menstrual cups and discs.
We created safe and affordable product to any menstruating woman.The device comes as a pair : can be used as single finger or double-finger action.
Single finger use technique:
Two-finger technique:
Tthe device is usually put on index and middle finger of the dominant hand. The small protrusions and small grapples facing each other. Grabbles help to locate and pull down the lost tampon string. Small side silicone protrusions working to grab a tampon/cup and pull down.
After use. The product can be washed with warm soap and water and safely stored in inclosed storage pouch till m=next menstrual cycle. Tampout provide a cost-saving alternative to costly ER >$2,000 visit or women who live in far suburbs and unable to reach healthcare facility in timely matter.