Pleural Dynamics is a Minneapolis based medical device start-up focused on developing best in class solutions for chronic, recurrent fluid collections within the body.
Our flagship product, ACES (the Automatic Continuous Effusion Shunt), is designed for the treatment of chronic recurrent pleural effusions. Chronic recurrent pleural effusions are a build-up of excess fluid between the lung and chest wall that compresses the lung and weighs on the diaphragm causing debilitating shortness of breath, irritating cough, poor quality of life, and short life expectancy. Recurrent pleural effusions affect approximately 660,000 new people in US and Europe each year and represents a $1.5B annual market opportunity for Pleural Dynamics. The current treatment options are cumbersome, costly, and based on decades old technology.
ACES utilizes normal breathing motion to automatically pump pleural effusion fluid out of the chest and into the abdomen where it is quickly and safely reabsorbed by the body. This action provides continuous relief of patient symptoms while simultaneously decreasing caregiver labor, infection risk, and overall expense.