EMVision Medical Devices’ First Responder passes aeromedical testing for stroke and TBI care

EMVision Medical Devices (ASX: EMV) has completed aeromedical retrieval environment testing of its First Responder proof-of-concept (PoC) device to treat rural patients with stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The company used the world-first brain imaging device to collect a series of volunteer scans in remote settings in collaboration with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and the Australian Stroke Alliance.

The results showed that First Responder was able to withstand the physical stress, environmental conditions and operational constraints unique to aeromedical retrieval.

Transforming outcomes

Affectionately known as the “scanner in the skies,” First Responder presents an opportunity to transform stroke and TBI outcomes for all patients, regardless of their location, by delivering immediate and sophisticated neurodiagnostic technology.

Research shows that patients in rural and remote locations experience 17% more strokes than urban dwellers and receive less specialist stroke care due to the challenges of transport and distance.

RFDS staff received preliminary training in the operation of the device and completed the scans under an existing ethics approval.

Medical personnel have hailed urgent on-site brain imaging as a critical first step in the stroke treatment pathway.

Field testing

EMVision chief executive officer Scott Kirkland said the company was pleased to have taken the First Responder PoC device into the field for the first time.

“Field testing is a key step in the First Responder development program and the learnings generated will inform progress from the current advanced prototype to production-equivalent commercial units,” he said.

“We are excited by the opportunity to have a substantial positive impact in reducing the global burden of stroke.”

New ethics application

EMVision confirmed that a new ethics application was under review to allow RFDS staff to enrol and scan patients in a forthcoming workflow implementation study.

RFDS, South Australian Ambulance Service’s emergency retrieval service MedStar, SA Health’s Rural Support Service, Royal Adelaide Hospital and the Australian Stroke Alliance will collaborate on the study.

It will evaluate First Responder’s usability, reliability, functionality and workflow metrics to meet international regulatory requirements.

Stroke study

EMVision has made an additional ethics application to allow First Responder PoC scans during acute suspected stroke cases managed by Melbourne’s Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU).

Approval will allow EMVision to collaborate with Australia’s only MSU and one of the few MSUs globally that participate in clinical research.

Mr Kirkland said the work would evaluate the use of First Responder during pre-hospital emergency aid to suspected acute stroke patients while gathering contemporaneous ground-truth MSU CT scan data.