GuideStar interview with Tiberend Strategic Advisors Bench2Bedside
| October 7, 2026
Victoria, BC – Epidurals are performed millions of times each year, yet clinicians still largely rely on feel to determine when a needle has reached the narrow epidural space. GuideStar Medical Devices is working to bring greater precision to this decades-old procedure with EpiZact, a handheld device designed to automatically detect the epidural space and stop needle advancement, helping reduce the risk of accidental dural puncture.
Bench2Bedside spoke with GuideStar CEO Mike Dolphin, Ph.D., about the overlooked burden of accidental dural puncture, and how his outsider’s perspective as an aerospace engineer helped him challenge a long-standing standard of care, leading to the development of EpiZact.
About EpiZact
Epidurals are performed to provide anesthesia to a patient, by means of injection of medication into the epidural space. Traditionally, epidurals are performed using the “loss of resistance” technique. EpiZact is the first device developed for epidurals that is designed to stop the forward motion of the needle upon sensing a loss of resistance, providing a tactile and visual signal to the user while simultaneously stopping the needle from further advancement, potentially reducing the incidence of accidental dural puncture.
About GuideStar
GuideStar Medical Devices is a medical device company located in Victoria, BC. The Company’s flagship device, EpiZact, was designed with the intent of reducing the incidence of accidental dural punctures during epidural administration. GuideStar is committed to offering innovative solutions to unmet medical needs with a primary goal of enhancing patient safety.
Investor Contact
Mike Dolphin
CEO, GuideStar Medical Devices
info@guidestarmd.com