Victoria, BC – GuideStar Medical Devices CEO and Founder Mike Dolphin exhibited EpiZact at the 2026 AANA Annual Congress, held August 21 to 25 at the Thomas Michael Menino Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachusetts.

Mike spoke directly with over 150 clinicians during the conference. “I asked nearly every person I spoke with what matters to them when they place an epidural, and the answers were remarkably consistent: accuracy, reliability, and a definitive signal that a loss of resistance has been detected," said Dolphin. "When we describe EpiZact in those terms, its value becomes immediately apparent.”

GuideStar was also a sponsor of the Rm8 iNoV8 Pitch Competition, held Sunday, August 23, in which five nurse anesthesiology entrepreneurs pitched original concepts for a $15,000 prize. All five finalists in the competition were excellent, and the winner of the competition was a CRNA student who had developed an improved bandage design.

The company additionally sponsored the Core Anesthesia indoor golf event on Friday, August 21, which drew more than 100 attendees. That sponsorship followed the recent Core Anesthesia podcast episode featuring EpiZact.  Listen to the podcast HERE.

GuideStar left the congress with invitations to multiple anesthesia symposia to teach students about EpiZact. Site visits and clinical evaluations with interested facilities are being scheduled through the fall. The 2027 AANA Annual Congress will be held in New Orleans.

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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