STEMO Mobile Stroke Assistance secured

Mobile stroke help saved for the time being

07/06/2014

The financing of the worldwide unique special rescue vehicle for stroke patients in Berlin is secured for the time being. The STEMO (Stroke Einsatz Mobil) will continue to be explored by the end of the year. Many investors showed interest in the emergency vehicle.

Significantly faster help for stroke patients
Since February 2011, two special rescue vehicles for stroke patients are underway in Berlin as part of a pilot project. Busy with an emergency paramedic, a neurologist trained in emergency medicine and a radiology assistant, the special vehicles have already been deployed around 3,000 times. These STEMOs (Stroke Insert Mobil) are equipped with computed tomography, lead walls and the possibility of thrombolysis. It has been shown that patients after a stroke with the STEMO lysis significantly faster, without compromising the safety and stability of the procedure.

Investors have registered interest
The unique vehicles that have been unique in the world have taken 100 percent of patients to hospitals with certified stroke units that have been proven to be highly qualified for stroke care. According to the STEMO researchers at the Berlin University Hospital Charité other emergency vehicles bring at least ten percent of stroke patients in other clinics. The scientists have already attracted international attention at international congresses and publications in renowned journals. According to Berlin health senator Mario Czaja (CDU), many investors have already expressed interest in congresses. According to Czaja, the industry is considering producing the STEMO ready for series production.

Promotion had expired in MayHowever, at the end of May, support for the STEMO had expired. Berlin Senator Frank Henkel (CDU) and Health Senator Czaja have now announced what to do next. „The health insurance companies have not agreed to pay the costs because they do not think the research is mature yet“, Czaja explained in a communication. Proponents and the STEMO researchers have bowed to this argument, and even critical scientists have noted that it has not been investigated whether lysis improves the patient's level of functioning when performed within the first hour rather than after about 90 minutes. Since such early lysis occurred far too rarely, such studies could not be made so far.

Financing by the end of the year
The Charité researchers now want to provide this proof. 100,000 euros from the Center for Stroke Research at the Charité will be available to them until the end of the year. Until then, the fire department anticipates the use of STEMOs as a normal emergency vehicle (NEF) and at the same time takes over the vehicle maintenance. The STEMO manufacturer Meytec waits for the devices for free. Professor Heinrich Audebert of the Charité, head of the research team, wants to compare the treatment results of around 500 early STEMO lysis patients with those of about the same number of Charité patients with later lysis. The results should also be considered three months after the procedure.

„Time is brain“
Professor Audebert was convinced that for the first time in a sufficiently large group of patients this research project is the golden rule of stroke treatment „Time is Brain“ (Time is brain) will confirm. In Germany, around 270,000 people suffer a stroke each year. About every nine minutes in this country a person dies of a so-called cerebral infarction. He is thus the third leading cause of death in the country. Quick help can often decide on life and death. (Ad)

Picture credits: B. Proud