Prof Dr Christian Taschner, Professor of Neuroradiology at Freiburg University (GER), Chair of the ESMINT New Product Implementation & Evaluation Committee, has been appointed as a member and also vice-chair of the European Commission’s Expert Panel on Medical Devices (Circulatory System).

“We are happy to learn that ESMINT’s esteemed executive committee member Prof Taschner has been entrusted such an important role in advising the clinical evaluation of specific high-risk medical devices in Europe.

This recognition further underlines ESMINT’s leading role in Neurointerventional science in Europe, similar to its contribution to the TENSION trial, funded by the European Union,” says Prof. Jens Fiehler, ESMINT’s current president.

ESMINT is the European Society of Minimally Invasive Neurological Therapy. ESMINT is delighted to offer congratulations to Prof Dr Taschner on this well- deserved appointment. The society is focused on the mainly catheter-based treatment of diseases originating from the vessels of brain and spine such as stroke and brain aneurysm.

Twelve expert panels have been designated by the Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/1396 of 10 September 2019 covering various medical fields and in vitro diagnostics. Experts are appointed by the Commission as advisors to these expert panels and will act in their personal capacity. They are appointed according to their scientific and technical competence and follow principles of highest scientific competence, impartiality, independence and transparency.

The expert panels are designated in relevant medical fields to deliver opinions and views to notified bodies on the clinical evaluation and performance evaluation of specific high-risk medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices in the context of notified bodies’ conformity assessments in the pre-market phase. When needed, expert panels also give ad hoc advice to the European Commission, the Medical Device Coordination Group (MDCG), EU countries, along with manufacturers and notified bodies.

Prof Dr Taschner is also serving as Congress President of the 13th ESMINT Congress 2021.

TENSION (Efficacy and safety of ThrombEctomy iN Stroke with extended leSION and extended time window: a randomized, controlled trial) strives at providing innovative treatment to patients with severe stroke to reduce the individual and societal burden of death and dependency from stroke. To this end, TENSION is a randomized trial of thrombectomy in stroke patients with extended ischemic stroke lesions and patients presenting in a late time window, who are currently excluded from available effective treatment approaches.

Background
ESMINT has been established in order to promote the benefits of minimally invasive neurological therapies in Europe through education, training, and support for high- quality scientific research.

ESMINT encourages and supports medical practitioners and scientists working to develop and improve minimally invasive methods for the treatment of neurological diseases. These methods will naturally evolve and currently involve the use of image guidance and medical devices such as endovascular catheters to perform treatments with minimum associated trauma.

The Society promotes the safe application of such techniques and their practice by suitably trained and competent practitioners throughout Europe. ESMINT encourages the setting of international standards for practice and research and encourages their use and appropriate implementation.

The Society consists of individuals and groups of members working or training in geographical Europe in the field of minimally invasive neurological therapy. The members determine the organisational structure of the Society and are expected to aspire to the highest standards of ethical and scientific medical practice.