Blood monitor-maker Deltex Medical (DEMG:AIM) will be feeling as fit as a fiddle after a major and prestigious US hospital confirmed that it planned to use its oesophageal Doppler blood flow monitor to help speed-up the recovery of patients following colorectal surgery.
The Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts says it is going to make the machine its default choice after positive trials at the institution. That's quite the boon for the Chichester-based company, and the shares are today making their own speedy recovery after a year to forget, up nearly 10% to 7.13p.
The Doppler device monitors blood flow in real time to enhance recovery after surgery or for those in intensive care. Tests showed a massive reduction in the time patients spent in hospital.
The monitor helped almost a fifth (18.5%) of patients leave the hospital two days after their operation. The equivalent figure when not using the Doppler was a pitiful 1.7%. The Doppler was also shown to cut overall time per hospital stay by 25%.
This is an important step with healthcare organisations under constant pressure to lower operating costs, and discharging patients earlier offers obvious savings. Deltex has trainers helping staff at other hospitals in the US, so further announcements could be on the way.
The company is looking into using the device to help speed up patients’ recovery from urology and gynaecology surgeries.
Analysts are yet to publish a view on the news, but investors will hope it could lead to a reduction in the £2 million pre-tax loss Arden forecasts it making this year.
