HEMS in Alpine Rescue for Pediatric Emergencies.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the pediatric emergencies encountered by the Christophorus-1 helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) during a period of 2 years.

Methods: Emergency treatment of pediatric casualties by HEMS was evaluated at a helicopter base. Children up to 14 years who were treated by HEMS emergency physicians from Christophorus-1 during primary missions in the alpine region were retrospectively enrolled.

Basic life-support kit in an out-of-hospital emergency.

An 8-year-old boy suffered a skull fracture and severe brain injury while attending a skiing event. A physician, equipped with his private emergency kit accomplished placement of a venous access line enabling administration of analgesic and sedating medication with ketamine and midazolam. When the helicopter emergency medical service arrived on the scene the patient's peripheral circulation had decreased to such an extent that further attempts to place a second peripheral venous line were impossible.

Review on the importance of an emergency kit for physicians in out-of-hospital emergencies.

The importance of an emergency kit for private use by emergency physicians was evaluated. Self-reporting questionnaires were used to assess the satisfaction of emergency physicians who were given a specially adjusted emergency kit for 3 years. Of 73 emergency physicians, 52.

Epidemiology and outcome of pediatric trauma treated by an emergency-physician-staffed advanced life-support unit.

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology and outcome of pediatric trauma in the setting of an emergency-physician-staffed mobile advanced life support (ALS) unit serving a predominantly urban area in Austria.

Methods: In this retrospective chart review, all pediatric trauma patients (0-14 years of age) who were treated by a physician-staffed ALS unit in Innsbruck within a 3-year period were analyzed. In addition, hospital charts were assessed to determine the clinical course and the outcome of these patients.

Long-term survival and neurological outcome of patients who received recombinant tissue plasminogen activator during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Objective: The long-term outcome in patients who received recombinant tissue plasminogen activator during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) of non-traumatic aetiology was assessed.

Methods: The neurological outcome in survivors and their level of performance, subjective well-being and quality of life were evaluated.

Results: A follow-up study of 27 cardiac arrest survivors was conducted; four patients (15%) died during the first year, a total of seven patients (26%) within 5 years.