LMS Presents Data on Predictability of Shoulder Dystocia with Injury at SMFM
February 02 2006 - 8:02AM
PR Newswire (US)
MONTREAL, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LMS Medical Systems
(TSX: LMZ, AMEX: LMZ), a healthcare technology company and
developer of the CALM(TM) system is pleased to announce that it
today presented scientific study results at the 26th Annual Meeting
of the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine in Miami, Florida. The
Society's Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions are considered one
of the most prestigious gatherings of obstetricians and
gynecologists involved in perinatal care improvement. The study
addressed the issue of injury sustained due to shoulder dystocia, a
condition which occurs during labor when a baby's shoulders become
stuck behind the mother's pelvis. Until now shoulder dystocia has
been widely believed to be unpredictable and unpreventable. It is
also one of the top 3 reasons for injuries and lawsuits in
obstetrics and payouts range from $500,000 to $2 million. The
senior investigators included faculty from McGill University,
Montreal; University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore; and
Ottawa University, Ottawa. The results presented by Emily Hamilton,
MDCM FRCS(C), LMS Founder and Vice-President of Medical Research,
demonstrate that the risk of shoulder dystocia with injury can be
predicted thereby significantly reducing the injury rate and by
extension litigation risk. The results were obtained with only a
nominal increase in extra cesareans. By way of example, using LMS
tools at a selected test threshold, one could have the potential to
avoid 54.4% of the shoulder dystocia with injury cases while
increasing extra cesareans by only 5.1%. This scientific research
provides a foundation for the introduction of LMS' newest risk
management tool, CALM Shoulder Screen(TM). This innovative software
tool helps medical professionals assess the risk of shoulder
dystocia with injury prior to the onset of labor thereby assisting
in making appropriate decisions for these deliveries in advance.
The ability to anticipate shoulder dystocia with injury can help
remove the threat of severe injuries that occur to babies, a
welcome change for hospitals, physicians, insurance companies and
expecting mothers. "The results of this study are important because
if shoulder dystocia with injury can be anticipated, the physician
can make a decision about that patient's labor before the situation
occurs," said Dr. Hamilton, noting that currently when shoulder
dystocia presents itself, it is during the labor process and
requires emergency action. "If the doctor has the information
available before labor begins and knows that there is a high
probability that shoulder dystocia may occur, doctor and patient
can decide to opt for cesarean birth". ABOUT LMS: LMS is a leader
in the application of advanced mathematical modeling and neural
networks for medical use. The LMS CALM(TM) Decision Support Suite
provides physicians, nursing staff, risk managers and hospital
administrators with clinical information systems and decision
support tools designed to improve outcomes and patient care for
mothers and their infants during labor and delivery. Except for
historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in
this news release are forward-looking statements. Because these
forward- looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there
are important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed implied by the forward-looking
statements including, but without limitation, economic conditions
in general and in the healthcare market, the demand for and market
for our products in domestic and international markets, our current
dependence on the CALM product suite, the challenges associated
with developing new products and obtaining regulatory approvals if
necessary, research and development activities, the uncertainty of
acceptance of our products by the medical community, the lengthy
sales cycle for our products, third party reimbursement,
competition in our markets, including the potential introduction of
competitive products by others, our dependence on our distributors,
physician training, enforceability and the costs of enforcement of
our patents, potential infringements of our patents and the other
factors set forth from time to time in the Company's filings with
the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and with the
Canadian Securities Commissions. The Company has no intention of or
obligation 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, LMS Medical Systems Inc., (514) 488-3461 Ext. 222,
Fax: (514) 488-1880, , http://www.lmsmedical.com/
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