A 300-year-old Birmingham family-owned firm is hailing a world first with a new medical breakthrough for stoma patients.

Salts Healthcare has been continuously innovating from its Aston base for the past three centuries, and its latest unique device is now helping improve the quality of life for patients across the world.

Experts at Salts say its Dermacol stoma collar is a true medical first, designed to offer ostomy patients an easier and more secure way to take care of their skin by preventing leakage.

Recently launched in the UK, Australia and Sweden, and available in Europe from June, 2009, the Dermacol stoma collar is the latest in a long line of medical advances and developments from Salts, who are known for products such as Confidence, Harmony Duo and SecuPlast.

And such is the overwhelming demand for their most recent addition that the company has taken on extra staff and created new shifts to meet orders.

The Dermacol stoma collar – a soft collar that fits around the stoma – was developed specifically in line with feedback from patients, one of whom initially designed the product. Patient feedback had found that leakage and soreness were the two key difficulties which needed to be tackled. The main challenge for Salts was to find a suitable polyurethane and so designed, manufactured and now patented Alphathane which is an extremely soft, supple yet strong type of polyurethane.

In a clinical trial, 74 per cent of patients felt their pouch was more secure with the Dermacol collar and 83 per cent found it comfortable to wear.

Salts hope to produce over five million Dermacol stoma collars in the first year and the launch has coincided with National Bowel Cancer Awareness Month which runs throughout April.

Philip Salt, chief executive of Salts, added: “We are delighted that our patients worked with us to create this ground-breaking product and it is they who are receiving the benefits. We have a very ethical and patient-friendly approach with all our products and to know we are changing lives for the better is a key driver for us.

“We are amazed by the response of patients to Dermacol and hope the initial sales and the positive feedback we have received will enable us to continue our research and development to ensure a better quality of life for all ostomists.”

Salts Healthcare is a 300-year-old family-owned firm based in Aston and with offices across the UK and Ireland.