The hip-replacement company Smith & Nephew warned yesterday that the turmoil from Hurricane Katrina would cut sales growth this year.
It said that fewer non-essential knee and hip operations in Mississippi and Louisiana would affect profits as a disproportionate amount of sales were there.
Other reasons for the S&N warning were the launch of rival products in its core replacement hips and knees business, and a weaker dollar.
The company, which sold its traditional bandage business and now concentrates on hi-tech medical devices, sells about half of its goods in the US.
