Reliant Medical Products Inc. Introduces New 10cc Provale Cup

November 13, 2003

Reliant Medical Products, Inc.^® Introduces New 10cc Provale^® Cup

Birmingham, AL --- Reliant Medical Products, Inc.^® introduced their new 10cc Provale^® Cup at the 2003 ASHA Convention (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) held in Chicago, November 13-15, 2003.  This is the second product the company has introduced at the national ASHA meeting.  Last year Reliant introduced their initial product, the 5cc Provale^® Cup.

The Provale^® Cups are for the 10 million patient/residential population with swallowing disorders, dysphagia.  After diagnosis, these patients are often put on restricted liquid diets and asked to take small sips to prevent aspiration into their lungs.  The Provale^® Cups provides small swallows with every normal drinking motion.

"Often these patients are able to increase their liquid intake with larger boluses and the new 10cc Cup offers them this opportunity" says Roddy Clark, President of Reliant.  "For instance, a stroke patient may only be able to take small swallows at first, but as they get better, and most do, 5cc can get frustrating and the larger 10cc cup fills this need."

The Provale^® Cup assists patients and long term care residents from swallowing too much and potentially aspirating liquid into thier lungs, which can lead to pneumonia.  Some 40,000 people die each year from aspiration pneumonia.

The patented cup was designed with the input and ideas of over 500 SLP's and other clinicians.   Their input was important to build functionality into the product while maintaining patient dignity and independence.

The Provale^® Cup provides adequate nose clearance to minimize head tilt.  The handles were designed with the option of attaching none, one or two, and have a large surface area for use those with muscular difficulties.  The product is dishwasher safe.

Clark adds, "We began as a drinking cup company and have morphed into a company providing products that assist in hydration and nutrition.  Our plan is to continue to add products that assist patients in the dysphagia market."