NEW PRODUCTS

Device removes foreign objects from eye

The Got-It! Eye Care Kit, developed by Sabre Medical, uses a bright blue light and fluorescent loop to extract foreign bodies from the surface of the eye. Safer than a swab or needle, according to the manufacturer, the instrument can also reveal corneal scratches and abrasions.

Using a 4,000-candlepower xenon bulb with a cobalt blue lens in the fluorescent loop, Got-It! projects light that activates fluorescein dye to provide better detail in the eye. Cost of the Got-It! Eye Care Kit: about $50. The kit includes a magnetic attachment for removing metal particles, a spare xenon bulb, a clear lens for testing pupillary reflexes, two AAA batteries, and a plastic carrying case. For information call 888-731-2327 or visit www.sabremedical.com .

Steroid-free treatment for eczema

Protopic (tacrolimus) ointment, available in Japan since 1999, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of eczema, including in children. The manufacturer's claims of safety and effectiveness are based on 28 clinical studies around the world, more than one third of whose subjects were children. The 0.03% concentration of the drug is recommended for children 2 to 15 years of age as short-term or intermittent long-term therapy.

Protopic acts on T lymphocytes to inhibit production of cytokines and stop an immune system imbalance before it triggers inflammation. Treatment can produce an improvement in affected skin in one week, although a course as long as 12 weeks is often necessary. A booklet written and illustrated for the child who has eczema is available without charge by request. Call 800-888-7704 or visit www.fujisawa.com .

Brave Bunny to the rescue

Children 3 to 6 years old may need comforting when they visit the pediatrician or dentist or when they are at a day-care center or in the hospital. Several new products have been devised to meet this need: Brave Bunny leads the pack as a plush toy rabbit 10 inches tall ($17). Also available are a Brave Bunny talking watch with a re-recordable 10-second message from parent to child ($23), a nighttime kit that has a "bad dream box" and a "monster spray," and an 8¹/₂ x 11 certificate of bravery signed by Brave Bunny ($3). For more information call 866-BE-BRAVE or visit www.bravebunny.com .

Assay detects flu A and B

The BD Directigen Flu A+B enzyme immunoassay membrane test differentiates influenza A and B. The test indicates which antiviral therapy to use within the first 48 hours of onset of illness. The specimen is taken from a nasopharyngeal wash, aspirate, or swab; a lower nasal or throat swab; or bronchoalveolar lavage. It is added to both wells in the ColorPAC test device, where a result appears in approximately 15 minutes. Results are determined by color: When the test is positive, a purple triangle appears on the membrane of either the A or B well. The kit comes with 20 ColorPAC devices, reagents, positive and negative controls, tubes, and tips for extracting the specimen and delivering it to the testing device. For more information call 800-638-8663.

 

New Products. Contemporary Pediatrics 2001;7:128.