62: Purple Pessaries, AI Fitting, and Building the Invisalign of Pelvic Health with Derek Sham

Episode Overview

What if the future of pelvic health looks more like Invisalign than one-size-fits-most devices? In this episode, Kristen sits down with Derek Sham, biomedical engineer and founder of Cosm Medical, to explore how precision medicine is finally coming to women's pelvic health. Inspired by his grandmother's struggle with pelvic organ prolapse, Derek is revolutionizing vaginal pessary technology with custom devices designed using AI, digital scanning, and data from thousands of women.

What You'll Learn

• How custom pessaries work and why 1-2 millimeters actually matters for patient outcomes and comfort
• The shocking innovation gap between men's and women's pelvic health (hint: the prostate market is 10X larger)
• Why the same surgery gets reimbursed 30% less when performed on women versus men
• The future of postpartum recovery: "gynothotics" that could prevent prolapse through tissue remodeling
• How AI is transforming pessary fitting from an art based on experience to data-driven precision medicine
• What digital scanning technology could mean for moving beyond finger measurements in urogynecology

About Derek Sham

Derek Sham is a biomedical engineer and founder of Cosm Medical. He previously built the world's most utilized urodynamics system and brings over a decade of experience in medical device development to women's health. Driven by his grandmother's experience with pelvic organ prolapse, Derek is on a mission to bring precision, innovation, and digital technology to a field that has been underserved for decades.

Key Topics Covered

Custom pessary design and fitting • Postpartum tissue remodeling • Women's health innovation gaps • Healthcare reimbursement disparities • AI-assisted clinical decision making • Digital gynecology platforms • Access and affordability in pelvic health • The entrepreneurship journey in medical devices

Connect with Derek Sham and Cosm Medical

Website: COSM.care

Instagram: @cosm.medical

LinkedIn: Derek Sham

Resources Visit blueberrytherapy.ca to learn more about pelvic health physiotherapy in Hamilton, Ontario

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