Blood flow monitor 'could save NHS £400m a year'

The NHS could save £400m a year if a blood flow monitor was used more during surgery, the health watchdog says.  In its guidance for England, NICE says the device, which was developed in Britain and uses ultrasound, reduces complications and speeds up recovery.  It says the CardioQ-ODM cuts the length of time patients spend in hospital following major or high-risk surgery by an average of two days.
Use of the device saves £1,000 each time, the watchdog adds.  At present, fewer than three in 100 eligible patients are monitored using it, but NICE estimates if that figure was increased to 50 in 100 patients, it would save the NHS in England more than £400m a year.

Based on the same technology as a police speed gun, the monitor uses ultrasound to measure the rate of blood flow from the heart. The device, which has an ultrasound probe at its tip, is inserted into the oesophagus or gullet.  The signal is reflected by blood cells travelling down the aorta, which enables doctors to establish how much oxygen and nutrients are being sent to vital organs.

The monitor was pioneered at University College Hospital in London.