LiDCO

LiDCO is a medical technology company that develops and markets hemodynamic monitoring systems used in anesthesia, surgery, and critical care. The company focuses on measuring cardiac output and other hemodynamic parameters through minimally invasive methods, combining lithium indicator dilution with arterial waveform analysis to provide both intermittent and continuous measurements.

The LiDCO system uses a small bolus of lithium chloride injected into a central venous line. An arterial line sensor detects the resulting concentration-time curve, from which cardiac output is calculated via indicator-dilution principles. Modern LiDCO monitors integrate this methodology with pulse contour analysis to derive continuous cardiac output estimates between bolus injections and to generate derived metrics such as stroke volume, systemic vascular resistance, and trend data for patient management.

The LiDCO product family has included devices such as LiDCOrapid, LiDCOplus, and LiDCO Core, along with associated software and consumables. These systems are designed for use in operating theaters and intensive care units, offering rapid assessment of hemodynamic status and ongoing monitoring to guide fluid therapy, vasopressor use, and other interventions.

LiDCO originated in the United Kingdom as a manufacturer of lithium-based indicator-dilution cardiac output monitoring. The company has distributed its devices internationally, with deployments in hospitals worldwide and integration with clinical workflows and electronic records.