DRF Luftrettung is expanding the test operation of a new procedure for the early detection of cerebral haemorrhages. After initial tests at the Stuttgart and Karlsruhe stations, the Niebüll and Rendsburg stations in Schleswig-Holstein are now also included in the scientific study.

The rescue helicopters in Niebüll and Rendsburg have recently been equipped with a measuring device that uses a protein blood test to detect the acidic glial fiber protein (GFAP). This protein is released early from damaged brain cells during a cerebral hemorrhage and can be detected in the blood within a few minutes. The method was co-developed by a team of researchers led by Professor Dr. Christian Förch from the RKH Klinikum Ludwigsburg. The study is funded by the DRF Foundation.

The test kit was first used in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe in 2024. The expansion to Schleswig-Holstein is intended to gain further insights under real operating conditions and to assess the potential benefits for emergency medicine.

For the crews of the rescue helicopters, the blood test is to be an additional component in preclinical diagnostics in the future. In the case of unconscious patients, it can help to distinguish more quickly between different causes such as vascular occlusion, epileptic seizure or life-threatening cerebral haemorrhage and to select the right target clinic.

Schleswig-Holstein’s Prime Minister Daniel Günther informed himself about the procedure during a visit to the Rendsburg station and described the trial as an important step for the emergency rescue of the state.

“The patient is always at the centre of our work,” explained Dr. Florian Reifferscheid, Head of Medical Operations at DRF Luftrettung. In the future, the blood test could help to initiate initial measures on site and to bring those affected directly to the appropriate clinic. With the expansion of the study, the data basis will be expanded and the care of seriously ill people will be further improved.

DRF Luftrettung operates 34 stations in Germany and carried out a total of 36,407 missions in 2025. The non-profit organization aims to put new medical procedures into practice in a scientifically sound manner.

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

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