Approximately 17,000 isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operations are performed in the UK each year. In addition, a substantial proportion of patients having other cardiac surgery have concomitant CABG. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides national guidelines and advice to improve health and social care in the UK. In their recent update of the Medical technologies guidance, MTG8, they state that based on this large number of patients, a reduction in graft occlusion rates during CABG surgery potentially offers significant cost savings to the National Health System (NHS).

In their report, NICE says that “The case for adopting the MiraQ system in the NHS for assessing graft flow during CABG is supported by clinical evidence. The evidence suggests that intraoperative transit time flow measurement (TTFM) is effective in detecting imperfections that may be corrected by graft revision. This may reduce the incidence of graft occlusion and may reduce perioperative morbidity and mortality. The MiraQ system is associated with an estimated cost saving of £141 per patient compared with clinical assessment alone when it is used routinely for assessing CABG surgery in every patient.”

Kari E. Krogstad, President and CEO at Medistim states, “Medistim is very much encouraged by this renewed support from the MTG8 committee at NICE and further that the estimated cost saving per surgery has increased from £115 to £141 from the previous 2011 guidance. The UK is a very important market for us, with significant growth opportunity and we have established a subsidiary with direct sales representation in this country. Hence, this recommendation fuels our ongoing efforts to increase the adoption of both our TTFM and high frequency ultrasound imaging in this key market. In addition, a NICE guidance is highly recognized in the global market as well.”

Read more about the NICE guidance: http://bit.ly/2puFf33NICE