Survival probability in avalanche victims with long burial (≥60 min): A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The survival of completely buried victims in an avalanche mainly depends on burial duration. Knowledge is limited about survival probability after 60 min of complete burial. AIM: We aimed to study the survival probability and prehospital characteristics of avalanche victims with long burial durations. METHODS: We retrospectively included all completely buried avalanche victims with a burial duration of ≥60 min between 1997 and 2018 in Switzerland. Data were extracted from the registry of the Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research and the prehospital medical records of the physician-staffed helicopter emergency medical services. Avalanche victims buried for ≥24 h or with an unknown survival status were excluded. Survival probability was estimated by using the non-parametric Ayer-Turnbull method and logistic regression. The primary outcome was survival probability. RESULTS: We identified 140 avalanche victims with a burial duration of ≥60 min, of whom 27 (19%) survived. Survival probability shows a slight decrease with increasing burial duration (23% after 60 min, to <6% after 1400 min, p = 0.13). Burial depth was deeper for those who died (100 cm vs 70 cm, p = 0.008). None of the survivors sustained CA during the prehospital phase. CONCLUSIONS: The overall survival rate of 19% for completely buried avalanche victims with a long burial duration illustrates the importance of continuing rescue efforts. Avalanche victims in CA after long burial duration without obstructed airway, frozen body or obvious lethal trauma should be considered to be in hypothermic CA, with initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and an evaluation for rewarming with extracorporeal life support.

Prehospital Use of Ketamine in Mountain Rescue: A Survey of Emergency Physicians of a Single-Center Alpine Helicopter-Based Emergency Service.

INTRODUCTION: Although ketamine use in emergency medicine is widespread, studies investigating prehospital use are scarce. Our goal was to assess the self-reported modalities of ketamine use, knowledge of contraindications, and occurrence of adverse events associated with its use by physicians through a prospective online survey. METHODS: The survey was administered to physicians working for Air-Glaciers, a Swiss alpine helicopter-based emergency service, and was available between September 24 and November 23, 2018. We enrolled 39 participants (participation rate of 87%) in our study and collected data regarding their characteristics, methods of ketamine use, knowledge of contraindications, and encountered side effects linked to the administration of ketamine. We also included a clinical scenario to investigate an analgesic strategy. RESULTS: Ketamine was considered safe and judged irreplaceable by most physicians. The main reason for ketamine use was acute analgesia during painful procedures, such as manipulation of femur fractures. The doses of ketamine administered with or without fentanyl ranged from 0.2 to 0.7 mg·kg-1 intravenously. Most physicians reported using fentanyl and midazolam along with ketamine. The median dose of midazolam was 2 (interquartile range 1-2) mg for a 70-kg adult. Monitoring and oxygen administration were used infrequently. Hallucinations were the most common adverse events. Knowledge of ketamine contraindications was poor. CONCLUSIONS: Ketamine use was reported by mountain rescue physicians to be safe and useful for acute analgesia. Most physicians use fentanyl and midazolam along with ketamine. Adverse neuropsychiatric events were rare. Knowledge regarding contraindications to the administration of ketamine should be improved.

[Drug fever among Swiss' most sold drugs in primary care]. / Fièvre médicamenteuse en médecine de premier recours liée aux médicaments les plus vendus en Suisse.

Drug fever is a little known side effect and should be considered as a differential diagnosis in the presence of fever. Its early recognition is important to avoid unnecessary investigations. Among the 70 most prescribed drugs in primary care in Switzerland, 8 have been linked to drug fever : amoxicillin, atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, esomeprazole, pantoprazole, rivaroxaban, salbutamol and trazodone. There are no specific criterias to distinguish a drug-induced fever. The diagnosis is confirmed with a positive rechallenge test. If a drug fever is suspected, it is recommended to stop the offending agent.

La fièvre d'origine médicamenteuse fait partie du diagnostic différentiel de toute fièvre et est un effet secondaire peu reconnu. Son évocation précoce est importante et permet d'éviter des examens secondaires inutiles. Parmi les 70 substances les plus vendues en ambulatoire en Suisse de 2008 à 2016, 8 médicaments peuvent provoquer de la fièvre : l'amoxicilline, l'atorvastatine, la rosuvastatine, l'esoméprazole, le pantoprazole, le rivaroxaban, le salbutamol et la trazodone. Il n'y a pas de critère défini de la fièvre médicamenteuse et aucun signe clinique ou valeur de laboratoire n'est spécifique à un état fébrile secondaire à un médicament. Seul un test de réexposition positif permet de confirmer définitivement le diagnostic. En cas de suspicion de fièvre médicamenteuse, l'arrêt immédiat de la substance est recommandé.