Under the direction of CEO and Founder Chris Carew, Cypher Medical is transforming how blood loss is measured in surgery. Based in Texas, the company has developed “The Cypher Solution”, a patented chemical agent that enables real-time visualization of red blood cell sedimentation directly in suction canisters. By addressing a long-standing problem of inaccurate blood loss estimation, Cypher Medical is working to reduce unnecessary transfusions and lower costs for hospitals worldwide.
Carew founded Cypher Medical after recognizing a critical blind spot in surgical care. “The moment I recognized the problem, I knew I had something,” he recalled. “From that moment on, I was obsessed with creating a solution to rectify this problem.”
He discovered that inaccuracy in blood loss visualization has plagued surgery since its inception. “If there were only blood being evacuated during surgery, then there would be no problem,” he explained. “But that is not the case. Many different liquids mix with blood during surgery (saline, amniotic fluid, urine, etc.). This is what causes the problem. Anytime you mix any liquid with blood, it all looks like blood.”
Motivated by this gap, Carew developed a solution that separates red blood cells from other fluids, making red blood cells visible in real time.
Today, blood loss estimation remains a guess. “Medical professionals are having to guess how much blood is in the canister,” Carew said. “Many studies have been done around this problem, and no matter how much or little experience a medical professional has, their visual estimation of blood loss is always wrong, high or low. But let’s be clear: this problem is not the doctor’s fault or the hospital’s fault; the medical device industry has not created an easy and cost-effective way to solve this problem, until now.”
The impact on patient care is profound. Miscalculations lead to under-transfusion, over-transfusion, or failure to transfuse when needed. “In short, patients are getting transfusions that don’t need them, and the patient that does need a transfusion isn’t getting the transfusion they need,” he emphasized. This can extend hospital stays, increase complications, and even result in death, all at high cost to patients and hospitals.
Studies suggest that 50–60% of blood transfusions given are deemed medically inappropriate. Given that blood costs represent 1–2% of a hospital’s operating budget, the potential savings from solving this issuepotentially amounts to millions annually per hospital.
The Cypher Solution is designed for simplicity and speed. “It is a 1-oz bottle that is added to a suction canister, Neptune, bag, etc.,” Carew explained. “As blood and other liquids like saline or amniotic fluid mix, the Cypher Solution attaches to the negative charge on the red blood cell and makes them heavy, causing them to fall out of solution.”
The result is visible sedimentation of red blood cells, easily distinguished from other fluids. “The great thing about Cypher is it requires no other technology to make it work; it just does its job all by itself,” he said. “If the electricity goes out, The Cypher Solution continues to work. It can be deployed anywhere: in the operating room, on a medivac plane, even in the field of a combat zone.”
Unlike previous approaches, Cypher’s technology integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. “What sets us apart is that The Cypher Solution eliminates the guess,” Carew emphasized. “The ability to visualize red blood cells in the canister means medical professionals are better informed to make improved decisions. Not to mention, the ability to have good information could potentially help improve patient outcomes and reduce hospital stays, saving each hospital a lot of money annually.”
Cypher Medical is already commercially active in the United States. “We are an early revenue company, and we have commercialized in the U.S.,” Carew confirmed. The company has secured approval on the Distribution and Pricing Agreement (DAPA) for the U.S. Department of Defense and signed a contract with AdventHealth, spanning 60 hospitals.
With patents and trademarks across global markets, expansion into the European Union, Asia, Canada, and Mexico is on the horizon. Carew also highlighted that the company will consider additional investors “if it makes sense for the betterment of Cypher.”
Cypher Medical has already taken the stage at LSI USA ‘25 and LSI Europe ‘25. To dive deeper, purchase a subscription to LSI’s Compass, your resource for reliable data on thousands of private medtech companies, plus comprehensive market forecasts and insights to help you navigate opportunities with confidence.
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