Tom Tran PA-C of Florida was featured on the cover of AAPA news recently for his invention of the “Trans-Catheter Extractor.” Tran’s invention has reduced a 15-minute procedure to 3 minutes or less, allowing a practitioner to remove tunneled catheters without using sharp instruments or the need to suture. Such catheters are used in hemodialysis, central venous access for those on extended antibiotic courses, chemotherapy, and total parenteral nutrition. The catheter assembly has an ingrown cuff from a subcutaneous location and often involves greater time, labor and manpower to extract from the patient. Tran’s new extractor is specifically designed to remove an anchoring device referred to as a tissue ingrown cuff. Use of this extractor adds convenience for the patient as well as creating a more cost-, labor- and time-effective way to remove these catheters.
 
Tom Tran is a UF PA Program graduate with 6 years experience as a PA and is currently living in the Orlando area. For 5 years he worked in vascular surgery, removing tunneled catheters the hard way. “I thought to myself, there has to be an easier way to do this,” says Tran, who came up with the idea for the extractor while doing hundreds of these laborious procedures. Fortunate enough to have a old school friend who just happened to be a mechanical engineer, Tran was able to make his idea into a reality. He is now in possession of hundreds of these Trans-Catheter Extractors. His invention was featured in the March 2007 edition of the Orlando Medical News, garnering statewide and even nationwide attention.
 
“The feedback so far has been great,” says Tran, when talking about how PAs around the country have reacted to his invention. In addition, Tran notes that his supervising physician has been extremely supportive of his success.
 
While Tran has been meeting with companies who seek to purchase his patent, the Trans-Catheter Extractor is in the final stages of clinical studies being done by physicians in separate settings. Although patented, the device was not yet approved by the FDA at the time this article was being written. Tran anticipates clearance to use his device commercially on patients by August 2007 when these studies are expected to conclude. In addition, his device is being presented at the upcoming symposium of the American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology.
 
When asked about what he hopes to come out of his invention, he states “I just want to give back to the PA community.” His invention reflects well on our profession and we are proud to have Tom Tran PA-C as a fellow Florida PA.
 
Practitioners interested in Tran’s device may read more at his website at www.tranpacinc.com.