Researchers at the 47th Society of Critical Care Medicine reported this week that Hill-Rom‘s (NYSE:HRC) Metaneb System may help reduce the incidence of post-operative pulmonary complications in high-risk patients.
A 419-patient study found that patients using the Metaneb System combined with standard respiratory therapy spent 1.6 fewer days in the hospital on average compared to the group receiving standard respiratory therapy alone.
Hill-Rom’s Metaneb System combines secretion clearance, lung expansion therapy and aerosol drug-delivery to help keep a patient’s lungs clean following a surgical procedure.
“The occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complications in high-risk surgical patients is associated with increased morbidity and worse outcomes,” Dr. Toan Huynh of the Carolinas HealthCare System said in prepared remarks. “As much as 40% of patients may have trouble breathing once a procedure is completed, which is why today’s news is such an advance. It’s important to identify patients who may be at risk for PPCs, be vigilant while they undergo surgery, and use aggressive pulmonary treatments to reduce the risk of complications and get them back home. We believe these results contribute to best clinical practice in this area.”
“These data represent a potential breakthrough for clinicians and their patients. We already know that PPCs lead to significant health issues and increased length of hospital stay if they are not treated immediately and aggressively,” Dr. Carlos Urrea, VP of medical affairs for Hill-Rom, added.
“We are very pleased to see these results, which support the use of the Metaneb System as part of an overall prevention strategy to reduce complications and lower associated costs per patient.”
