The patients you transport by air are among the sickest and most difficult to treat by the health care system. Many of these complex patients need to be transferred to hospitals with greater capabilities. Other such transports can involve trauma patients in remote locations and time-sensitive medical emergencies like stroke and myocardial infarction.
These patients often require advanced monitoring and life support and have specialized care needs that may include advanced airway procedures, continuous IVs, invasive monitoring and, for pediatric and neonate patients, special transport incubators. Sustaining them takes a lot of focus and a lot of equipment that must be arranged, secured and accessed in an environment that鈥檚 extremely physically constrained.
The extensive equipment required to sustain very sick patients in flight can pose major safety hazards if it鈥檚 not properly set up and locked down. A loose ventilator (average weight: 10鈥�18 pounds) or monitor-defibrillator (average weight: 12鈥�19 pounds) can cause considerable damage to people and equipment, but consider also the needless risks to providers and inefficiency caused by reaching awkwardly around items placed haphazardly.
has a solution for this challenge. Introduced in 2022, its is a mounting system that safely secures multiple medical devices to the LifePort cot widely used in flight settings.
鈥淲ith every new product, we work hand in hand with end users and involve our clients throughout the entire development process. That鈥檚 why our solutions truly reflect their needs,鈥� said Lorena Ruelas, Technimount鈥檚 global marketing director. 鈥淭he Xtension Pro Assistant 鈥� LP is no exception 鈥� it鈥檚 a tailored innovation that not only meets the specific demands of one client but also drives efficiencies across the entire industry.鈥�
鈥業t鈥檚 literally seconds鈥�
Designed for critical care and based on needs heard from users, the can secure multiple medical devices by way of two 360-degree and two swiveling Micro Shelves that can be adjusted to users鈥� configurations and comfort. It has a curved, open-sided design that optimizes space and simplifies patient access and lateral transfer and meets the federal standard for occupant safety in emergency landings (FAA/CFR 搂 23.561).
The Xtension Pro Assistant 鈥� LP attaches to the foot end of the cot with a quick release locking mechanism. Devices are easily mounted to the Standard Surface Bases using 鈥檚 universal disc systems. Devices locked in place meet both CFR 搂 23/25 requirements and the SAE J3043 safety standard for ambulance equipment mounting.
Sunwest Aeromedical of Alberta, Canada, was an early adopter of the Xtension Pro Assistant 鈥� LP. Part of Sunwest Aviation, a prominent transport company, it provides intensive care and other air-medical and flight services worldwide.
鈥淲ith the quick-mounted arches and Standard Surface Bases, it鈥檚 literally seconds to mount our medical devices onto the structure,鈥� . 鈥淓veryone was quite blown away by how simple it was. It鈥檚 literally grab it, line it up, slide it in until you hear it click, and you鈥檙e done.鈥�
That simplicity is especially useful for the part-time staff that join Sunwest for flights from positions elsewhere in the health care system.
鈥淔or them to come in and utilize a product that鈥檚 as simple as pushing a button and pulling 鈥� we don鈥檛 need to worry about them forgetting how to use it,鈥� added Gateman. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very intuitive, it鈥檚 very easy, it鈥檚 very simple, and everyone loves the product. The overall appearance is very professional, it looks good, and it looks sturdy. The ability to work with Technimount was great.鈥�
Compatible solution extends benefits to newborns
The Neonatal Transport Incubator Platform 鈥� FL is designed to safely transport Dr盲ger鈥檚 popular Isolette TI500 on LifePort鈥檚 AeroSled TS. Combining it with the Xtension Pro Assistant 鈥� LP allows these patients to be transported in the incubator alongside their advanced equipment.
Technimount System
When the very sick patient being transported by air is a newborn, the complications can compound. Neonates in these settings frequently have severe conditions like congenital heart defects, respiratory distress, sepsis and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. They travel in incubators and often require advanced respiratory support, including mechanical ventilation.
A new addition to the line, the is designed to safely transport Dr盲ger鈥檚 popular Isolette TI500 on LifePort鈥檚 AeroSled TS. Combining it with the allows these patients to be transported in the incubator alongside their advanced equipment.
鈥淯nlike other incubator transport solutions that force medical devices into a fixed setup, limiting clinical flexibility, our approach is fundamentally different,鈥� said Ruelas. 鈥淲e designed our solution to adapt to the health care provider鈥檚 protocol 鈥� not the other way around 鈥� empowering them to use the equipment they trust to deliver the best care for their patients.鈥�
The incubator platform is easily attached to and detached from both the incubator and the AeroSled TS via quick release latches, meaning it can easily convert standard stretchers for neonatal intensive care transport, and air services need not reserve a dedicated stretcher for that purpose.
Technimount System
The incubator platform is easily attached to and detached from both the incubator and the AeroSled TS via quick release latches, meaning it can easily convert standard stretchers for neonatal intensive care transport, and air services need not reserve a dedicated stretcher for that purpose. That鈥檚 accomplished with Technimount鈥檚 patented XClamp technology.
The Neonatal Transport Incubator Platform鈥檚 design matches the width of the AeroSled TS for efficiency in the limited space of aircraft and complies with both CFR 搂 23 and 25.
Products meet key safety standards
CFR 搂 23 and 搂 25 are two primary U.S. federal regulations that concern the safety of medical flights.
CFR 搂 23 sets forth airworthiness standards for commuter and utility craft, including requirements for their systems and equipment. CFR 搂 25 provides standards for passenger and cargo transport planes. Compliance to these standards means both the and will secure medical equipment where it鈥檚 supposed to be and won鈥檛 compromise safety.
鈥淪afety is at the core of everything we do. Our solutions are developed to meet the highest standards for both ground and air transport,鈥� explained Ruelas. 鈥淔rom advanced computer simulations to rigorous in-house bench testing, our thorough validation process ensures the highest level of patient safety at every stage of development.鈥�
The resulting security not only protects occupants but flight services鈥� valuable equipment as well, which is locked firmly in place.
Other key aspects of the Xtension Pro Assistant 鈥� LP and Neonatal Transport Incubator Platform 鈥� FL are their compact size and weight for the flight environment. The Xtension Pro Assistant 鈥� LP is made of stainless steel and aluminum for strength. The Neonatal Transport Incubator Platform 鈥� FL is constructed of aluminum, stainless steel and bronze.
For more information, visit .
Xtension Pro and XClamp are registered trademarks of Technimount System.
