The NHS blood clot zapper

NHS hospital patients are to be offered a drug-free way to treat post-surgical blood clots, a condition that kills 25,000 Britons a year.

The Geko device is a thin, 6in strip that attaches to the leg and delivers tiny electrical impulses to the back of the knee. It was approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence this month.

Developed at Bart’s and the London NHS Trust, it has been designed to help those who are unable to take blood-clot dissolving drugs – the first-line treatment – due to other health problems.

The device stimulates the muscles in the leg and foot which then increase blood flow in the veins of the lower leg. This may help reduce the risk of blood clots forming.