Almost 40,000 Patients Wake-Up During Surgeries Each Year in the US

WALTHAM, Mass., May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Millennium Research Group (MRG) has conducted a detailed analysis of the US anesthesia devices market in its US Markets for Anesthesia Devices and Information Systems 2007 report. The US market for anesthesia devices and accessories was valued at over $650 million in 2006 and will reach over $860 million by 2011. In this market, the level of consciousness (LoC) monitors segment was one of the fastest growing. The analysis reveals that LOC monitors are rapidly being adopted by anesthesiologists as there has been growing awareness among anesthesiologists and patients of the risks of anesthesia awareness during surgery. In the US, a growing number of cases of patients waking up during surgery occur - close to 40,000 each year.

Legal issues and public awareness of intraoperative awareness, a state that occurs if the anesthetics don't fully take effect, is driving more anesthesiologists to use these monitors. LOC monitoring is used to measure patient parameters, gauge the depth of anesthesia, and ensure that the patient does not gain awareness while undergoing a surgical procedure.

"If a patient gains consciousness during surgery, although he would be aware of his surroundings and feel the pain, he would not be able to move or alert operating staff because of the paralytic influence of anesthesia," says Dave Plow, senior analyst at MRG. "Apart from being extremely painful, anesthesia awareness can also be psychologically distressing and lead to long term psychological complications."

US Markets for Anesthesia Devices and Information Systems 2007 report includes coverage of key industry competitors, including Aspect Medical Systems, DocuSys, Drager, GE Healthcare, Hospira, King Systems, LMA, Philips Medical Systems, Picis, Smiths Medical, Teleflex Medical, Tyco Healthcare, and Vital Signs.

About Millennium Research Group

Millennium Research Group (http://www.mrg.net/), a Decision Resources, Inc. company (http://www.decisionresources.com/), is the global authority on medical technology market intelligence and a leading provider of strategic information to the health care sector. Focused solely on the medical device, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries, the company provides its clients with the benefits of its specialized industry expertise through published reports and customized consulting services.

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  For more information, contact:

  Amy Krohn
  Millennium Research Group
  416-364-7776 x101
  akrohn@mrg.net