Deltex Medical Regulatory News (DEMG)

23 May 2007 07:32

Deltex Medical Group PLC23 May 2007 Deltex Medical Group plc US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issues final decision memorandum on reimbursement coverage for oesophageal Doppler 23 May 2007 - Deltex Medical Group plc ("Deltex Medical" or "Company"), the UK'sleading haemodynamic monitoring company, today notes the publication of thefinal decision memorandum by the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services(CMS) confirming that coverage will be implemented on a national basis forreimbursement of the use of oesophageal Doppler monitoring to guide fluidtherapy in ventilated patients in intensive care and for all patients undergoingsurgery requiring fluid management. The Company will issue a further, detailed statement on this in due course, onceit has had an opportunity to review the CMS statement in full and consulted withits advisors in the USA. The full text of the decision memo is available on line at the CMS website: https://www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/viewdecisionmemo.asp?id=196 For further information, please contact:- Deltex Medical Group plc 1243 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 Securities 020 7149 6457Philip Davies philip.davies@csysecurities.comRussell Cook russell.cook@csysecurities.com Notes for Editors Deltex Medical manufactures and markets the CardioQ(TM) 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 haemodynamicallyoptimise critically ill patients and those undergoing routine moderate to majorsurgery through the controlled administration of fluid and drugs. Haemodynamicoptimisation has been scientifically proven to improve the speed and quality ofpatient recovery and reduce hospital stay. There are already over 1,250 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(TM) 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 fortaking snapshots or monitoring over short periods. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange