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Cardiology

CardioQ System Speeds Recovery, Reduces Complications in Surgery Patients

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A randomized controlled study presented at the annual congress of The Association of Anesthetists of Great Britain & Ireland has shown that the CardioQ system significantly improves patient outcomes after surgery. The study, funded by the Department of Health, involved 128 patients undergoing major bowel surgery and found that using CardioQ resulted in an average 1.5 day reduction in bed stay, faster recovery, and fewer post-operative complications.

Key Takeaways:

  • The CardioQ system, developed by a U.K. company, monitors blood flow during and after surgery, allowing doctors to detect and deal with problems through administration of fluid and drugs.
  • The system uses a soft disposable ultrasound probe inserted into the patient's oesophagus during surgery to record blood flow data, enabling anesthetists to control fluid administration exactly.
  • The study found that patients who used CardioQ experienced significantly fewer post-operative complications compared to those who did not.
  • The average length of stay after surgery was reduced by 1.5 days for patients who used CardioQ, resulting in considerable financial savings.
  • The system has been used at the Medway Maritime NHS Trust since April 2004, reducing the average length of stay after surgery by 3 days and saving approximately UKP 800 per patient.
  • Phase 1 introduction of the technology is expected to save the Trust in excess of GBP 1 million a year.

Statistics:

  • 128 patients underwent major bowel surgery in the study.
  • 64 patients were monitored using CardioQ, while 64 patients were managed with routine cardiovascular monitoring.
  • The average reduction in bed stay was 1.5 days for patients who used CardioQ.
  • The average length of stay after surgery was reduced by 3 days at the Medway Maritime NHS Trust after implementing the CardioQ system.
  • Approximately UKP 800 per patient was saved due to reduced length of stay.
  • The savings of about UKP 1 million a year are equivalent to the running costs of a ward for a year.

Sources:

  • NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net
  • The Association of Anesthetists of Great Britain & Ireland
  • Department of Health (UK)
  • Worthing Hospital in West Sussex, England
  • Medway Maritime NHS Trust in Kent
  • Heart Disease Weekly

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