Bypass quality assurance is a great saving opportunity for hospitals
700K Bypass surgeries are performed each year worldwide to treat patients with clogged arteries. 12% of the performed bypasses have surgical defects[1] that cause complications such as infarctions, as the bypass fails shortly after surgery. Such complications require extra procedures and reoperations that cost $360 per every patient undergoing surgery[2], but could be prevented performing bypass quality assurance
[1] David X. Zhao, Routine Intraoperative Completion Angiography After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and 1-Stop Hybrid Revascularization, Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2009
[2] NICE medical technology guidance 8 (Nov 2011)
Existing solutions are unsatisfactory
The main available method to perform bypass quality assurance is using a flow meter to predict the quality of the graft, but it is used in only 35% of surgeries in the $340M market[1] and 65% are not penetrated. From our talks with 7 cardiac surgery chiefs in Israel (only one department uses a flow meter), the flow meters provide only a partial indication, and anatomical knowledge is needed to make a good decision.
[1] MediStim 13Q1 report
Real time. Reduce Costs.. Life Saving.