- The following is content from the press release -
(Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Hideaki Ohno; hereafter referred to as "JMC") has started a craniofacial correction treatment at the pediatric department of KK Women's and Children's Hospital, the largest public hospital in Singapore specializing in women's and children's health care, (hereafter referred to as "JMC") has started craniofacial orthodontic treatment using "Kurum Fit", a helmet that corrects the shape of babies' heads.
Treatment for the shape (distortion) of the baby's head began in the United States in the 2000s and has gained a certain degree of global citizenship.
In December 2024, the pediatric department of KK Women's and Children's Hospital ("KKH"), the only and largest public hospital in Singapore specializing in women's and children's health care, began cranial orthodontic treatment using our helmets. KKH has begun orthodontic treatment using our helmet. While there are many companies in the world that manufacture and sell cranial correction helmets, the story behind the development of our "KurumFit" helmet, the high quality of the product, and our track record of over 16,000 cases at university hospitals, children's hospitals, and the "Head Shape Clinic from Age 0" in Japan were highly evaluated. The company's products were selected through a formal bidding process in Singapore.
In early October 2024, a total of four KKH staff members (pediatricians, physical therapists, and prosthetists) involved in cranial health checkups and helmet treatment came to Japan to begin helmet treatment at KKH. They participated in various training and study sessions for about a week to deepen their knowledge of "proper cranial health checkup and cranial orthopedic treatment," which was first introduced in Japan.
Comments from the Board of Directors and Auditors of the Japan Craniofacial Health Treatment Research Association, Inc.
President, Japan Craniofacial Health Treatment Research Association, Inc.
Professor, Graduate School, Tokyo University of Health Sciences
Dr. Satoshi Kusuda
The KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) in Singapore will provide treatment for cranial deformities in infants from December 2024 using Japanese-made helmets manufactured by Japan Medical Company. KKH is a large-scale mother-child medical center that provides full pediatric care in Singapore and is known worldwide for its high standard of medical care.
In other words, the adoption of Japanese-made equipment in a world-standard hospital means that Japanese products are recognized as a world standard. This is the result not only of helmet manufacturing technology, but also of international recognition of the quality of the medical examination, diagnosis, treatment, and support system during treatment of cranial deformities in infants. Cranial deformities in infants are not to be left as a cosmetic problem, but a condition that requires accurate medical determination of its cause and, if necessary, intervention with the child's future in mind.
The mutual recognition of this common medical concept will be of great benefit to children and their families. We hope that further strengthening of cooperation through personal exchanges, lectures, and joint medical research will extend this benefit to more children.
Director, Japan Craniofacial Health Treatment Research Association, Inc.
Jichi Medical University Tochigi Children's Medical Center
Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery
Dr. Rei Gomi
In this training session for KKH, the pathogenesis of positional cranial deformities, including natural history, risk factors, and prenatal and postnatal factors, was first explained. Then, the evolution of classification and treatment of cranial suture premature fusion, especially the recent common suture resection plus helmet correction treatment, was explained in detail, and the most important method of differentiation from positional cranial deformity was explained with actual examples.
Positional cranial deformities in children are on the rise worldwide, and Singapore is no exception. Cranial deformities in children with underlying diseases are also common, and the audience was very interested in the presentation. We expect that the highly breathable and lightweight helmets made in Japan will be very useful in the high temperatures of Singapore.
Director, Japan Craniofacial Health Treatment Research Association, Inc.
Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University
deputy director
Director, Perinatal Maternal and Child Health Center
Professor of Pediatrics and Perinatology
Dr. Shigeharu Hosono
In Japan, opportunities for specialized training by pediatricians on cranial morphology are limited. Under these circumstances, the Japanese Society for the Study of Cranial Health Examination and Treatment is working as part of its educational activities.
In this training, we used real-life examples to illustrate that parents' concerns about their children are not just about positional cranial deformity problems. It also showed that children with head shape problems may have abnormal muscle tone and developmental delays during the initial examination and course of treatment. Proper nutritional guidance is necessary during the period of helmet correction treatment, as head circumference growth is a factor that influences the effectiveness of treatment. We also emphasized the need for regular growth and developmental assessments to be performed by the pediatrician.
Medical professionals in Singapore were interested in the detailed Japanese cranial health examination treatment system and participated enthusiastically. This time, in Singapore, we expect not only to introduce Japan Medical Company's products, but also to export the Japanese cranial health examination treatment system as a package and promote it in other Asian countries. We hope that this industry-academia collaboration will bring about further development.
Auditor, Japan Craniofacial Health Treatment Research Association, Inc.
Advisory physician, Head Shape Clinic from age 0
Dr. Isao Kusakawa
In the workshop with KKH, we explained the medical and social risk factors for the development of positional craniosynostosis. In particular, the latter explained the historical transition of the sleep and child-rearing environment in Japan, an island nation with a mono-ethnic population.
To begin with, there is no absolute ideal head shape, except for symmetry. When treating positional cranial deformities, I told the participants that they must be aware that there are social and cultural factors such as sleeping and child-rearing environments, and that the ideal head shape varies greatly among different ethnic groups and is not absolute. During the post-training discussion, we also discussed the expansion of helmet therapy to children with neuromuscular diseases, which may be a growing medical need in the future.
We hope to work with KKH, the center of pediatric care in Singapore, to promote collaborative research to expand these types of indications in the future.
About the Japan Craniofacial Health Treatment Research Association, Inc.
The Japan Cranial Medical Examination and Treatment Society (JCMETS) "contributes to the advancement and dissemination of cranial medical examination and treatment by providing a forum for research, communication, knowledge exchange, and cooperation among members and with related academic organizations in Japan and abroad. JCMETS is a voluntary organization of physicians, midwives, nurses, physical therapists, and others.
We also participated in training sessions on 3D scanning and adjustment of the inner cushion inside the helmet, and made preparations to ensure that patients in Singapore can receive the same treatment as in Japan.
With the opening of the "Outpatient Head Shape Clinic," we have also started helmet orthodontic treatment, the first overseas treatment for our company.
In order to make Japanese-style "cranial health examination and orthodontic treatment" a global standard, doctors from Japan and our company will continue to conduct clinical and research work together to realize our corporate vision "Creating options that do not yet exist in the world. We will continue our efforts to realize our corporate vision, "Creating Choices that the World Hasn't Yet Seen".
About KK Women's and Children's Hospital
KK Women's and Children's Hospital has been a leader in obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, and neonatology in Singapore since its establishment in 1858. Today, the 830-bed hospital serves as a referral center for tertiary services for the management of high-risk conditions in women and children.
A team of approximately 500 specialists employs a multidisciplinary, integrated approach to treatment and utilizes the latest medical innovations and technologies to provide the best possible care.
As an academic medical center, KKH believes that world-class clinical training and research are essential to raising the standard of care, and the hospital embraces a culture of innovation while achieving world-class clinical leadership. KKH is also a major teaching hospital for the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine in Singapore. The hospital also runs the largest specialty training programs in obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics in Singapore.
KKH is committed to continuously raising the clinical standards in Singapore and taking care to provide a comfortable hospital experience so that patients can receive seamless services and enjoy compassionate care in a healing environment.
Physician responsible for initial consultation
Dr. Kavitha Sothirasan, Staff Physician
Department of Neonatology, KKH
About baby's head distortion
The main cause of distortion of the baby's head is external pressure such as orientation, but rarely there is pathological deformity, and it is the positional cranial deformity caused by external pressure that is the subject of helmet therapy. It is now possible to treat cranial deformities by wearing a therapeutic helmet between the ages of 3 and 6 months, when the baby's head circumference is growing rapidly.
Measurement of the shape of a baby's head can be done not only with a dedicated 3D scanner, but also with the "Baby Head Shape Measurement App".
The "Baby Head Shape Measurement App" developed by Japan Medical Company allows users to easily measure the shape of their baby's head by simply taking a picture. The application has been downloaded more than 250,000 times (*note) and its accuracy has been improved. The app is designed under the supervision of doctors and can also be useful during medical examinations at hospitals.
Note: June 2024, according to our research.
iOS version
Android version
Products Qurum Fit / Qurum
Japan Medical Company, which has been manufacturing cranial shape corrective helmets for many years, formed a development study committee and jointly developed this helmet with doctors from the departments of neurosurgery, pediatrics, neonatology, pediatric surgery, and plastic surgery. The helmet is made in Japan using a state-of-the-art 3D printer, is highly breathable to prevent overheating, and the cushion itself as well as the helmet can be washed in water. From the mechanism to the design, we have given shape to what babies need.
In addition to the high quality of the product itself, physicians who wish to use our helmets are required to participate in the Helmet Appropriate Treatment Workshop and visit a leading medical institution (university hospital) with a proven track record of treatment. Even after the introduction of our helmets, physicians are requested to continue participating in the Helmet Appropriate Treatment Workshop.
This is Japan Medical Company's own standard, which was decided and introduced by the directors of the Japan Craniofacial Health Examination and Treatment Research Association and other doctors so that parents can receive cranial health examination and helmet treatment with peace of mind.
What we can do for "the utmost peace of mind. The introduction and post-introduction process of helmet therapy is another of Japan Medical Company's qualities.
About Japan Medical Company, Inc.
Japan Medical Company is a manufacturing venture company that uses cutting-edge 3D printing technology to revolutionize the shape of medicine.
Founded in 1897, the company was formerly Ohno Kogyo, a steel manufacturer, and has continued to grow based on the manufacturing technology and spirit cultivated over the past 130 years.
In 1999, we introduced reverse engineering using laminated modeling technology (3D printing) and obtained a patent for the manufacturing process of human bone models such as ear ossicles. In the field of 3D models for preoperative simulation, we have developed numerous preoperative case models and models for educational practice. Currently, our models are used for hands-on training in preoperative simulation and certification examinations, mainly in the fields of neurosurgery and otorhinolaryngology.
In 2012, we developed the first domestically produced cranial correction helmet, Aimet, in collaboration with a neurosurgeon, and in 2018 we became an independent Japan Medical Company.
Currently, the company develops, manufactures, and sells the cranial correction helmets "Qurum Fit" and "Qurum," the "baby head shape measurement application" that can easily measure the degree of cranial deformation in infants, and the "metto application" that supports helmet therapy, with the aim of creating new value in the medical field. The company aims to create new value in the medical field.
The company is committed to further expanding awareness of helmet therapy and spreading awareness of the concept of craniofacial correction itself and the disease.
Company name: Japan Medical Company, Inc.
Established: May, 2018
Representative Director & CEO: Hideaki Ono
■Business activities: Development, manufacture, and sales of medical equipment; development, manufacture, and sales of miscellaneous medical products
■URL:https://japanmedicalcompany.co.jp
List of press releases of Japan Medical Company, Inc.
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/searchrlp/company_id/46445
For inquiries or questions regarding this release, please contact
Mizuho Yanagimoto, Corporate Design Office, Japan Medical Company, Inc.
TEL: 03-5829-8342 / choice@japanmedicalcompany.co.jp
