Profile: Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI)

Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI) is a global medical technology company that manages advanced wound care, regenerative medicine and therapeutic surfaces. The Company’s advanced wound care systems, regenerative medicine products and therapeutic support systems for five principal clinical applications: advanced wound healing and tissue repair, pulmonary complications in the intensive care unit (ICU), regenerative medicine, bariatric care and wound treatment and prevention. Its Therapeutic Support Systems (TSS) business includes hospital beds, mattress replacement systems and overlays, which are designed for pulmonary complications associated with immobility, to reduce or treat skin breakdown and assist caregivers in the safe and dignified handling of patients of size. On May 27, 2008, the Company acquired LifeCell Corporation (LifeCell). LifeCell develops, processes and markets biological soft tissue repair products made from both allograft and xenograft tissue.

Advanced Wound Healing and Tissue Repair

The Company’s wound healing and tissue repair systems incorporate the V.A.C. Therapy technology. The V.A.C. Therapy system consists of a therapy unit and four types of disposables: a foam dressing, an occlusive drape, a tubing system connecting the dressing to the therapy unit and a canister. The therapy unit consists of a pump that generates controlled negative pressure and internal software that controls and monitors the application of the therapy. The therapy can be programmed for individualized use. The Company’s V.A.C. Therapy units include safety alarms that respond in real time to signal users of any tubing blockage, dressing leakage or other condition, which may interfere with appropriate therapy delivery. The systems have a number of on screen user-assist features, such as treatment guidelines.

The Company’s negative pressure wound healing therapy is delivered to the wound bed through a foam dressing cut to fit the size and shape of the wound. The dressing is connected to the therapy unit through tubing, which both delivers the negative pressure and measures the pressure delivered to the wound surface. An occlusive drape covers the dressing and secures the foam, thereby allowing negative pressure to be maintained at the wound site. Negative pressure can also be applied intermittently to the wound site, which may further accelerate granulation tissue growth. The canister collects the fluids, or exudates, helps reduce odors through the use of special filters and provides for safe disposal of medical waste. V.A.C. dressings are typically changed every 48 hours for non-infected wounds, versus traditional dressings which often require dressing changes one or more times per day. The Company’s V.A.C. dressings are designed to address the physical characteristics of different wound types, such as large open wounds, surgical wounds, diabetic foot ulcers and open abdominal wounds, among others.

Regenerative Medicine Products

The Company’s regenerative medicine products include biological soft tissue repair products made from human (allograft) and animal (xenograft) tissue for use in reconstructive, orthopedic and urogynecologic surgical procedures to repair soft tissue defects. AlloDerm regenerative tissue matrix is donated allograft human dermis that has been processed with the Company’s non-damaging processing resulting in an intact acellular tissue matrix. AlloDerm supports the repair of damaged tissue by providing a foundation for regeneration of normal human soft tissue. AlloDerm is used to repair defects resulting from trauma, previous surgery, hernia repair, infection, tumor resection or general failure of the musculofascial tissue. AlloCraftDBM is a human allograft bone-grafting product that combines demineralized bone and micronized acellular human dermal matrix to form a putty-like material.

Products Treating Pulmonary Complications in the Intensive Care Unit

The Company’s pulmonary care therapies include both Kinetic Therapy products and Prone Therapy products. The Company has also introduced RotoProne Therapy System, a patient-care system for the treatment and prevention of pulmonary complications associated with immobility. Providing Kinetic Therapy, Prone Therapy and Kinetic Prone Therapy, the RotoProne Therapy System enables caregivers to automatically rotate immobile patients with respiratory complications from the supine to the prone position and to also rotate them from side to side up to 62 degrees in both the supine and prone positions.

The Company’s Kinetic Therapy products include the TriaDyne Proventa, TriaDyne II, RotoRest Delta and PediDyne. The TriaDyne Therapy System is used primarily in acute care settings and provides patients with four distinct therapies on an air suspension surface. The TriaDyne Therapy System applies Kinetic Therapy by rotating the patient up to 45 degrees on each side. The RotoRest Delta is a bed that can rotate a patient up to 62 degrees on each side for the treatment of severe pulmonary complications and respiratory failure.

Bariatric Care Products

The Company’s bariatric products provide a range of therapy options and the proper support needed by obese patients that enable nurses to properly care for obese patients in a safe and dignified manner. The advanced product in this line is the BariAir Therapy System, a front-exit bed, which can serve as a critical care bed, cardiac chair or x-ray table for patients weighing up to 850 pounds. The BariAir provides low air loss pressure relief, continuous turn assist, percussion and step-down features designed for both patient comfort and nurse assistance. The Company’s FirstStep Select Heavy Duty overlay provides pressure-relieving low-air-loss therapy when placed on a BariKare bed. The Maxxis 400 provides a homecare bariatric bed frame for patients weighing up to 1,000 pounds. Its AirMaxxis product, to be used on the Maxxis 400 frame, is a mattress replacement system, which provides a therapeutic air surface for the home environment for patients weighing up to 650 pounds.

The BariMaxx II bariatric therapy system is a modular bed that allows the clinician to choose the appropriate accessories for their environment and patient’s needs. This platform, which comes with a foam mattress is built for patients weighing up to 1,000 pounds, and provides customers with built-in scales, Trendelenburg and Reverse Trendelenburg positioning and an expandable frame. The BariMaxx II side-exit feature allows the caregiver to assist patients in an exit of the bed. The MaxxAir Expandable Turning Surface (ETS) mattress replacement system is a low-air-loss, pressure relieving surface option for the BariMaxx II therapy system. The MaxxAir ETS provides clinicians with rotational therapy of up to 30 degrees on each side. The Company offers a transport option that enables a single caregiver to safely and more easily transport patients on the BariMaxx II therapy system.

Wound Treatment and Prevention Products

The Company offers a range of therapeutic support systems for wound treatment and prevention, providing pressure reduction, pressure relief, pulsation, alternating pressure and a continuous turn of a minimum of 20 degrees. Most of its therapy beds and surfaces incorporate the use of Gore Medical Fabric in the patient contact areas to provide an ideal microclimate for skin protection and moisture control. The Company’s pressure relief products include framed beds and overlays, such as the KinAir MedSurg and KinAir IV framed beds; the FluidAir Elite and FluidAir II bead beds; the FirstStep, FirstStep Plus, FirstStep Select, FirstStep Advantage, TheraKair, TheraKair Visio and TriCell overlays, the AtmosAir family of non-powered, dynamic mattress replacement and seating surfaces, and the RIK fluid mattress and overlay. Its pulsation products include the KinAir MedSurg Pulse and TheraPulse ATP framed beds and the DynaPulse mattress replacement system. The Company’s alternating pressure or air cycling products include a powered model of the AtmosAir and the InterCell. The Company’s turn assist products include the KinAir IV, Therapulse ATP and a powered AtmosAir model. Internationally, the TheraKair Visio represents the next generation of its TheraKair brand, providing low-air-loss pressure relief with Pulsation Therapy.

The KinAir MedSurg and KinAir IV have been shown to provide skin care therapy in the treatment of pressure sores, burns and post-operative skin grafts and flaps, and to help prevent the formation of pressure sores and certain other complications of immobility. The FluidAir Elite and FluidAir II support patients on a low-pressure surface of air-fluidized beads providing pressure relief and shear relief for skin grafts or flaps, burns and pressure sores. The TheraKair, TheraKair Visio and FirstStep family of overlays and mattress replacement systems are designed to provide pressure relief and help prevent and treat pressure sores. The AtmosAir family consists primarily of for-sale mattress replacement products that have been shown to be effective for the prevention and treatment of pressure sores in a series of hospital-based case studies. The AtmosAir with Self Adjusting Technology (SAT) utilizes atmospheric pressure and gravity to deliver non-powered dynamic pressure relief.

The KinAir MedSurg Pulse and TheraPulse ATP framed beds and the DynaPulse overlay provide treatment through a continuous pulsating action, which gently massages the skin to help improve capillary and lymphatic circulation in patients suffering from severe pressure sores, burns, skin grafts or flaps, swelling or circulatory problems. The KinAir IV, Therapulse ATP and AtmosAir model all provide turn assist of a minimum of 20 degrees to each side. Turn assist helps the caregiver reposition and/or turn a patient in order to provide patient care and pressure relief.