Kendall DL for ECG monitoring in people having cardiac surgery

The technology described in this briefing is Kendall DL, a single-patient-use electrocardiogram (ECG) cable and lead wire system. It is used for diagnostic and ongoing patient monitoring. This briefing focuses on its use for people having cardiac surgery.

The innovative aspects are the single-use design of the ECG cable and lead wire, which decreases the risk of cross-contamination, and allows patients to use a single set of ECG cables when in acute care. The system also has a button to secure the lead wire to the electrode, to reduce the chance of 'lead-off' false alarms.

The intended place in therapy would be for anyone who needs ECG monitoring in acute care.

The main points from the evidence summarised in this briefing are from 3 studies (2 randomised controlled trials and 1 observational study) with a total of 36,146 surgery cases in the US. They show that Kendall DL is associated with fewer false alarms. The studies also show fewer surgical site infections at 90 days after coronary artery bypass graft procedures, compared with reusable ECG leads.

Key uncertainties around the technology are that clinical evidence is limited and may not be generalisable to the NHS.

The cost of Kendall DL is £11.10 for a 3‑lead system and £12.68 for a 5‑lead system (inclusive of VAT). The resource impact would be greater than reusable ECG cable and lead wire systems. These costs might be offset by reducing surgical site infections but the evidence for this is limited.