°MEQU to provide blood warming system to Norwegian air ambulance
Danish medical technology company °MEQU has won a public tender to provide portable blood and IV-fluid warming devices (°M Warmer System) to Norwegian National Air Ambulance Services (Luftambulansetjenesten HF)
Norwegian National Air Ambulance Services is responsible for all air ambulances (both fixed-wing and helicopters) and acute cars located at 13 bases throughout the country. The °M Warmer System was the only device meeting all mandatory requirements and was chosen due to its high quality - small size and light weight, heating capacity, and not least user-friendliness.
Prehospital fluid resuscitation is known to increase the survival rate of trauma patients. For this reason, carrying blood products onboard aircraft has been initiated by major European HEMS in recent years despite its complex and costly process in terms of blood supply and staff training. Moreover, aircraft should be equipped with a blood / IV fluid warmer as all fluids should be warmed up to body temperature before the infusion to avoid unnecessary cooling of the patient.
Significantly reducing mortality
CEO Ulrik Krogh Andersen commented: “Prehospital fluid resuscitation before arriving at a hospital is shown to significantly reduce mortality among severely injured patients. We are thankful that Norwegian National Air Ambulance Services chose our °M Warmer System to treat their patients, so we accelerate our mission to improve the survival and recovery rate of patients in critical situations.”
An efficient and powerful warming capacity
Peter Skade, Global Sales Director, added: “Winning this tender is a confirmation that °M Warmer System is a superior solution as it is easy to set up and use and has efficient and powerful warming capacity. The °M Warmer System is now adopted by leading HEMS throughout the Nordic countries, UK, mainland Europe and Australia.”
The °M Warmer System was awarded the Red Dot Design Award in 2018 for its minimalist expression, user-friendliness, and intuitive design that together reduce the risk of human errors and delays. °M Warmer is currently used both in pre-hospital and in-hospital settings, and °MEQU is continuously developing its technology to bring warm blood and IV fluids to more patients.
Clara Bullock
Clara Bullock is a writer for ITIJ and AirMed&Rescue. Initially a freelance writer for publications ranging from gardening news to music magazines, she has made the transition to writing about the ins and outs of travel insurance and aeromedicine. In her spare time she reviews books on Instagram and eats pasta.