RESUMEN
A common effort for both military and civil healthcare is to achieve knowledge-based health care in cold weather injuries and fatal accidents in harsh arctic environment. The Cold Weather Operations Conference in November 2021, having more than 300 participants from 20 countries, was addressing the prevention and treatment of injuries and trauma care in cold weather conditions and the challenges for military prehospital casualty care. The intention of the programme was to stimulate further research and systematic knowledge-based clinical work. The abstracts from the conference present cold weather research and clinical experience relevant for readers of the International Journal of Circumpolar Health.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: An increase in fatal accidents in helicopter ambulance missions in Norway has put focus on the guidelines for use. METHODS: Ambulance records from the physician-staffed SeaKing rescue helicopter in Bodø, Northern Norway, from 1988 to 1998 were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: 2,498 ambulance missions carried 2,590 patients. Median time to lift-off was 29 minutes, and one-way median flying time was 26 minutes. Four local communities with a total of 12,000 residents (6.3% of the population served by the helicopter) ordered 70% of the missions. 35% of the patients suffered from cardiovascular disease, 12% were in labour, 3.2% were seriously traumatized, while 20% had minor injuries. A total of 107 patients (4%) received advanced pre-hospital emergency treatment. Thirty-eight (1.5%) were intubated and received cardiopulmonary resuscitation, of whom two survived to discharge. Over a period of 11 years, 53 patients were intubated by the anaesthesiologist. Oxygen or intravenous lines as the only treatment effort were given to 72%. INTERPRETATION: It takes about an hour to reach remote locations by rescue helicopter. A substantial amount of the transports could have been carried out by ground ambulance without loss of health benefit. We question the need for an on-board anaesthesiologist.