A First for Türkiye: The CARL System Unveiled at ADU as Part of the ‘Safe Campus 2.0’ Initiative

As part of the ‘Safe Campus 2.0 Project’ run by our University’s First Aid Training Centre, the CARL system – sourced from Germany and set to be implemented in Türkiye for the first time – was unveiled at our University.

As part of a project aimed at enhancing the capacity to respond to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest incidents that may occur on campus, an information session was held to provide details on the technical specifications of the CARL system, its areas of application and its role in advanced resuscitation procedures.

As part of the programme, our University’s Rector, Prof. Dr Bülent Kent, met with Christoph Benk, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organisation that developed the CARL system, and the project team. During the meeting, plans for the system’s implementation at our University as part of the Safe Campus 2.0 Project were reviewed, whilst the contributions that CARL technology would make to the response procedures for cardiac arrest cases were discussed.

As part of the efforts to implement the project, Christoph Benk, CEO of CARL, visited our University and shared his views on the ECPR system planned to be established at our University. During the meeting, there was a mutual exchange of views on the system’s implementation process and the work to be carried out as part of the project.

The ‘Safe Campus 2.0’ Project, coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dr Yunus Emre Özlüer, Director of our University’s First Aid Training Centre, aims to ensure that in the event of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest on campus: the early detection of such incidents, the rapid initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), early intervention using an automated external defibrillator (AED), and the application of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in suitable patients, thereby establishing a comprehensive intervention model.

The CARL system to be used as part of the project stands out as a state-of-the-art system designed to provide extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support in ECPR procedures. The aim of introducing the system at our University is to enhance our capacity to provide advanced life support in cases of cardiac arrest.

Speaking at the event, our University’s Rector, Prof. Dr Bülent Kent, stated that universities have taken on significant responsibilities not only in scientific and academic work but also in innovative initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life and safety of the community.

Our Rector, Prof. Dr Bülent Kent, said: “We are delighted to be bringing to our country a technology that is set to be implemented in Türkiye for the first time as part of our university’s international collaborations. Rapid, coordinated and effective intervention is of the utmost importance, particularly in situations where time is of the essence, such as cardiac arrest. With this system, developed as part of the Safe Campus 2.0 Project, we aim to take our campus’s response capacity to the next level. The project will bring to our University.

It is expected that the Safe Campus 2.0 Project will not only contribute to the development of our University’s capacity for healthcare practice, but that the scientific and practical experience gained through the project will also help to develop intervention models that can be applied in various areas of life in the future.