NIRSense and Aspen Medical USA (AMUSA) are pleased to announce the donation of 12 portable tissue-ischemia monitoring kits (comprising advanced sensor consoles plus tablets) to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (MoD) for deployment in frontline Role-1 and Role-2 casualty care facilities in Ukraine. These investigational prototype systems are provided for use by military medical teams treating extremity-injured personnel (including those who have undergone tourniquet application) to assess and monitor tissue perfusion and oxygenation in real time.
Why this matters
In the battlefield context, timely recognition of compromised tissue perfusion (particularly in limbs subject to tourniquet use, major soft‐tissue injury or ischemia-reperfusion risk) can make the difference between viable salvage of the limb, avoidance of secondary complications, and optimal patient outcomes. The donated NIRSense kits, which will be administered by the Ukraine MoD under an approved protocol, may provide clinicians with actionable data on tissue oxygen delivery and kinetics, offering a capability beyond traditional vital signs or pulse oximetry alone. By enabling objective monitoring of tissue oxygenation and perfusion dynamics, this technology is designed to support informed decision-making on surgical timing, tourniquet removal, reperfusion strategy, and allocation of evacuation resources.
Technology pedigree and operational credibility
NIRSense was founded in 2018 to “help protect American warfighters by delivering accurate tissue oxygenation data in extreme conditions.” The company, based in Richmond, Virginia, has worked with the U.S. Department of War since 2019 to develop ruggedized, operational‐quality physiological monitors for challenging environments. Contracts include SBIR/STTR awards, Navy and Air Force efforts, activities supporting US Special Forces, and DARPA-funded prototype development of ultra-thin helmet-compatible near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-based monitoring systems. This background gives the donated systems a strong operational pedigree – rooted in advanced physiological sensing for warfighter medical readiness and monitoring.
The donated systems are an investigational medical device in the United States and have not been approved or cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for sale or distribution. NIRSense is conducting clinical research to support FDA clearance.
AMUSA’s support to Ukraine
For over three years, AMUSA has provided support to the Ukraine Ministry of Defence and the Ukraine Ministry of Health, delivering medical training, capability-building, and equipment to enable trauma care under combat conditions. This donation is a continuation of that commitment. AMUSA organized the initial engagement and logistics for delivery of the kits to the Ukraine MoD and additionally translated all protocols and user guides into Ukrainian, received direct training on the devices, and will oversee proper data collection and secure transfer of case data back to NIRSense for review, analysis, and ongoing device optimization. The goal is to evaluate the application of small, portable tissue-perfusion and tissue-oxygenation sensors in combat casualty care. The data and lessons learned will inform both Ukrainian and allied medical doctrine, and strengthen interoperability of trauma-care monitoring technologies in austere, operational settings.
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