Deltex Medical Regulatory News (DEMG)

3 Apr 2008 07:00

Deltex Medical Group PLC03 April 2008 Deltex Medical Group plc Second hospital in southern Californian group set to implement routine use of CardioQ in patients undergoing surgery 3 April 2008 - Deltex Medical Group plc ("Deltex Medical"), the UK's leadinghaemodynamic monitoring company, today announces that implementation of routineuse of the CardioQ(TM) in a southern Californian hospital group has progressedto the second of its four acute surgical hospitals. Deltex Medical began working with the hospital group early in 2007 and at thefirst hospital to implement routine use of the CardioQ more than a quarter ofall patients having major surgery are being monitored. Usage is growing bothwithin and across different surgical procedure and at present more than 100patients every month benefit from the use of the CardioQ to guide fluid deliveryduring their operation. It is anticipated that recent changes in physicianreimbursement for use of oesophageal Doppler monitoring will further accelerateuptake. Anaesthetists from one of the largest independent anaesthesia groups in the USAprovide services to the group's hospitals and are leading the implementationproject, working in collaboration with surgeons and administrators. Thisanaesthetic group provides services to a further eight acute surgical hospitalsin southern California and treats in excess of 50,000 patients each yearundergoing surgery. Roll out into further sites served by the group is beingplanned for 2008/09. Deltex Medical's Chief Executive, Andy Hill commented: "This project represents our most successful wide-scale implementation to dateand has enabled us to refine our sales and training model substantially and totailor it more effectively to the needs of doctors and administrators wishing toestablish routine use of the CardioQ in major surgery." For further information, please contact:- Deltex Medical Group plc 01243 774 837Nigel Keen, Chairman njk@deltexmedical.comAndy Hill, Chief Executive ahill@deltexmedical.comEwan Phillips, Finance Director eap@deltexmedical.com Gavin Anderson & Company 0207 554 1400Deborah Walter dwalter@gavinanderson.co.ukRobert Speed rspeed@gavinanderson.co.uk Charles Stanley SecuritiesNominated Advisors 020 7149 6000Philip Davies philip.davies@csysecurities.comRussell Cook russell.cook@csysecurities.com Notes for Editors Deltex Medical manufactures and markets the CardioQ monitor, which usesdisposable ultra-sound probes inserted into the oesophagus to determine theamount of blood being pumped around the body - 'circulating blood volume'.Reduced circulating blood volume is known as hypovolaemia, which leads toinsufficient oxygen being delivered to the organs. This causes medicalcomplications including peripheral and major organ failure which can lead todeath. Hypovolaemia, which is akin to severe dehydration, affects virtuallyevery patient having surgery because of the combined effects of pre-operativestarvation, the impact of the anaesthetic agents and trauma from the surgeryitself. Using fluids and drugs, guided by the CardioQ, to optimise the amount ofcirculating blood significantly reduces post-operative complications allowingpatients to make a faster, more complete recovery and return home earlier. The CardioQ incorporates the Company's proprietary software and a smalldiameter, easy-to-use, minimally invasive, disposable oesophageal probe that isused for transmitting and receiving an ultra-sound signal. By using thistechnology, the CardioQ provides clinicians with the ability to optimisecritically ill patients and those undergoing routine moderate to major surgerythrough the controlled administration of fluid and drugs. Haemodynamicoptimisation has been proven to improve the speed and quality of patientrecovery and reduce hospital stay. There are already around 1,500 CardioQs currently in use in hospitals worldwideand distribution arrangements are in place in over 30 countries. In addition,there are currently more than 90 clinical publications on the use of the CardioQwhich have repeatedly:- •Validated the results of the Monitor against known standards for measuring cardiac output, demonstrating that the technology works •Proved that the CardioQ works in a wide range of surgical procedures •Demonstrated that the Company's technology provides significant health and economic benefits by helping to reduce post-operative complications and length of hospital stays by an average of 30 to 40 per cent for a wide range of patients. The SupraQ is an entirely non-invasive device which uses an ultrasound probeheld at the base of the patient's neck to track the flow of blood in the aorta;it presents the same data as the CardioQ in a similar format and is used for taking snapshots or monitoring over short periods. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange