Every year, more than 1 million patients in the U.S. find themselves suffering from respiratory complications following surgery, according to Hill-Rom (NYSE:HRC).

These complications come at a cost – to both the patient and the hospital. A respiratory problem can increase a patient’s time in the hospital by as much as 89%. More people die each year from pulmonary complications than from breast cancer, the Chicago-based company reported.

To stop these complications from ever developing, Hill-Rom has developed the MetaNeb System, which combines secretion mobilization, lung expansion therapy and aerosol delivery. Drug Delivery Business News editor Sarah Faulkner spoke with Dr. Carlos Urrea, Hill-Rom’s VP of medical affairs, about the needs that motivated MetaNeb’s design and the patient outcomes linked to the device’s use.

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