Deltex Medical Regulatory News (DEMG)

6 Jul 2005 13:45

Deltex Medical Group PLC06 July 2005 Deltex Medical Group plc CardioQTM delivers excellent results in colorectal surgery patients 6 July 2005: Deltex Medical Group plc ("Deltex Medical" and the "Company"),today announces further details of the results of a double-blinded prospectiverandomised controlled clinical trial using its CardioQTM haemodynamicmonitoring system on colorectal patients during their operations. The trial was undertaken by surgeons and anaesthetists at the Freeman Hospitalin Newcastle-upon-Tyne. In the study, the control group were given fluidsintra-operatively at the anaesthetist's discretion whereas the treatment groupwere given fluids based on an algorithm guided by the CardioQTM. Additionalresults to those previously announced were presented in Dublin today at theTripartite Colorectal Meeting (a clinical meeting for colorectal surgeons fromthe UK, USA and Australia). The study showed that patients treated with the CardioQTM were able to toleratea full diet after two rather than four days and were independently assessed asfit for discharge from hospital after six rather than nine days. Previouslyannounced results showed that the CardioQTM patients were actually dischargedfrom hospital after seven days and that they suffered considerably fewerpost-operative complications. Deltex Medical's Chief Executive, Andy Hill commented: "The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain & Ireland produced a reportin June 2004 following the results of its audit of bowel cancer treatments in 93NHS hospitals. The average length of hospital stay was over twelve days, withonly six hospitals achieving lengths of stay of under ten days and not one ofthem doing as well as the CardioQTM patients at the Freeman." The same report identified average mortality within thirty days of bowel cancersurgery of 6%. None of the 54 CardioQTM patients at the Freeman died; likewise,none of the 64 CardioQTM patients from a similar 2004 study at Worthing hospitaldied." For further information, please contact:- Deltex Medical Group plc 01243 774 837 Nigel Keen, Chairman Andy Hill, Chief ExecutiveEwan Phillips, Finance Director Financial Dynamics 0207 831 3113 David YatesLucy Briggs Notes for Editors Deltex Medical manufactures and markets the CardioQTM 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 CardioQTM, to optimise the amountof circulating blood significantly reduces post-operative complications allowingpatients to make a faster, more complete recovery and return home earlier. The CardioQTM 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 CardioQTM provides clinicians with the ability tohaemodynamically optimise critically ill patients and those undergoing routinemoderate to major surgery through the controlled administration of fluid anddrugs. Haemodynamic optimisation has been scientifically proven to improve thespeed and quality of patient recovery and reduce hospital stay. There are already over 1,250 CardioQTMs 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 CardioQTM which have repeatedly:- • validated the results of the Monitor against known standards for measuring cardiac output, demonstrating that the technology works • proved that the CardioQTM 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. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange