LMS announces clinical breakthrough in predicting key obstetrical challenge
June 21 2005 - 9:02AM
PR Newswire (US)
LMS announces clinical breakthrough in predicting key obstetrical
challenge MONTREAL, June 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LMS Medical
Systems (AMEX:LMZ; TSX:LMZ), a healthcare technology company and
developer of the CALM(TM) system (Computer Assisted Labor
Management), today announced the addition to its Decision Support
Suite (DSS) of CALM Shoulder Screen, a new tool focusing on the
prediction of shoulder dystocia, a key obstetrical challenge. Over
30,000 babies a year are delivered with this condition in the
United States. It is a common source of litigation and failure to
adequately predict and/or communicate the risk of shoulder dystocia
or injury is often alleged. Among labor and delivery events that
constitute true emergencies, shoulder dystocia is unique in several
respects. Shoulder dystocia refers to excessive difficulty in
delivering a baby vaginally after the head is born because of the
size and position of the shoulders. When the baby's head is born
and the shoulders are trapped within the birth canal the umbilical
cord is compressed, reducing the amount of oxygen supplied to the
baby. Once shoulder dystocia is evident during birth the clinician
is faced with no alternative but a series of risky maneuvers that
may stretch or injure the nerves leading to the arm (the brachial
plexus). Neonatal injuries associated with severe shoulder dystocia
can include brachial plexus injury, clavicular fracture and, very
rarely, brain damage or death. Most brachial plexus injuries will
recover; those that do not result in permanent weakness or
paralysis in the arm. While there had been great interest in
prediction, shoulder dystocia is currently described as largely
"unpredictable and unpreventable" because current methods are
associated with either low detection rates or unduly high false
positive rates. "Our new predictive model has the capacity to
improve both early prediction and false positive rates resulting in
an opportunity to improve outcomes and patient safety from this
serious birth complication," said Dr. Emily Hamilton, Chief Medical
Officer and Founder of LMS. "With CALM Shoulder Screen, health care
teams will have empirical information upon which to base policies
of intervention, design clinical protocols and empower women and
clinicians to make informed choices". About LMS: LMS Medical
Systems is a leader in the application of advanced mathematical
modeling and neural networks for medical use. The LMS Computer
Assisted Labor Management product suite provides physicians,
nursing staff and risk managers with innovative obstetrical
decision support and risk management tools integrated into robust
clinical information systems designed to improve outcomes and
patient care for mothers and their infants during labor and
delivery. This press release contains forward-looking statements
that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual
results to differ materially from the statements made. For this
purpose, any statements that are contained herein that are not
statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward- looking
statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Without limiting
the foregoing, the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans,"
"intends," "will," "should," "expects," "projects," and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude
of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, future
circumstances, or events to differ materially from those projected
in the forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not
limited to, those associated with the success of research and
development programs, the adequacy, timing, and results of clinical
trials, the regulatory approval process, competition, securing and
maintaining corporate alliances, market acceptance of the Company's
products, the strength of intellectual property, financing
capability, the potential dilutive effects of any financing,
reliance on subcontractors and key personnel, and other risks
detailed from time-to-time in the Company's public disclosure
documents or other filings with the Canadian and U.S. securities
commissions or other securities regulatory bodies. The
forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and the
Company disclaims any intention and has no obligation or
responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any
forward- looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events, or otherwise. DATASOURCE: LMS MEDICAL
SYSTEMS INC. CONTACT: Andrea Miller, Communications, (514) 488-3461
ext. 222, Fax: (514) 488-1880, , http://www.lmsmedical.com/
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