Saying that the economic slump has resulted in the customers’ decision to postpone the purchase of its Sensei Robotic Catheter systems, Hansen Medical Inc has projected a significantly lower-than-expected second-quarter revenue. 

The company’s preliminary revenue forecast - which fell well short of Wall Street expectations - reported on Monday had the figures between $3.1 million to $3.3 million, while analysts in a Thomas Reuters’ poll had estimated $8.8 million revenue for the quarter.

In the first quarter, Hansen Medical had reported $7.1 million in revenue, including revenue from the sale of 10 Sensei systems. This quarter, the company expects the sale of only six Sensei systems.

Commenting on Hansen Medical’s lower-than-anticipated revenue forecast for the second quarter, CEO Frederic Moll said: “Sensei system sales during the second quarter were adversely affected by general macroeconomic conditions that continue to significantly impact our potential customers' capital spending.”

Moll added that a number of prospective Sensei system customers had either sought additional approvals before going in for the purchase or were weighing up alternative financing arrangements, thereby resulting in orders moving out of the quarter. Moll also said that as a result of the dilly-dallying customers’ decisions, it would take longer to close sales; with the possibility of some orders being finished in the third quarter.