LMS Shoulder Dystocia Study Results Reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
August 02 2006 - 9:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
MONTREAL, Aug. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LMS Medical Systems
(TSX: LMZ, AMEX: LMZ), a healthcare technology company and
developer of the CALM(TM) clinical information system and risk
management software tolls for obstetrics, announced the results of
a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, a leading obstetrical peer review journal. The study
describes a statistical model for predicting shoulder dystocia that
identified over 50% of cases with brachial plexus injuries along
with an acceptable low false positive rate of 2.7%. The results
demonstrated that Shoulder Dystocia can often be predictable and
preventable when using the LMS CALM Shoulder Screen risk management
software. Shoulder Dystocia occurs when the baby's shoulder gets
stuck behind the pubic bone during the delivery. Generally viewed
in the medical community as mostly unpredictable and unpreventable,
Shoulder Dystocia is one of the most feared conditions that can
occur during labor and delivery. Potential injuries frequently lead
to litigation and include brachial plexus impairment, brain damage
and sometimes death. Resulting payouts can range from one half to
several million dollars. Dr. Emily Hamilton, MD, FRCS(C),
Vice-President, Medical Research at LMS co-authored the paper with
Alina Dyachenko, MsC of St. Mary's Medical Center in Montreal;
Antonio Ciampi, Ph.D., of the Department of Epidemiology,
Biostatistics and Occupational Health at McGill University in
Montreal; Jenifer Fahey, CNM, and Hugh Mighty, MD, of the
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Maryland
School of Medicine in Baltimore; and Lawrence Oppenheimer, MD, of
the Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario. "We
understand the importance of this research to be paramount to the
safety of mother and baby, said Dr. Emily Hamilton, Vice-President,
Research of LMS. "It offers a solution to an old problem that for
decades has harmed families and been very costly to all
stakeholders." The study is the result of seven years of research
and the first of several papers expected to receive peer-review in
the area of Shoulder Dystocia prediction. Translating this research
into a commercial product for use by obstetricians, LMS Medical
Systems has recently introduced the CALM Shoulder Screen(TM).
Shoulder Screen, which is the subject of multiple patent filings,
is a web-based risk management tool that enables clinicians to
assess if their patients are at risk for Shoulder Dystocia prior to
the onset of labor. The American Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynecology (http://www.ajog.org/) presents coverage of the entire
spectrum of the field, from the newest diagnostic procedures to
leading-edge research. The Journal provides comprehensive coverage
of the specialty, including maternal-fetal medicine, reproductive
endocrinology/infertility, and gynecologic oncology. It also
publishes the annual meeting papers of several of its more than 30
sponsoring societies, including the Society for Maternal-Fetal
Medicine and the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons. The American
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has the highest ranking for
citation frequency of any ob/gyn journal and ranks in the top 1.7%
of the 5,684 journals listed in the most recent Science Citation
Index. 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. 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/; David
Gordon/Grant Howard, The Howard Group Inc., Toll Free:
1-888-221-0915, , http://www.howardgroupinc.com/
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