Medical assistance during commercial airline flights: analysis of 11 years experience of the Paris Emergency Medical Service (SAMU) between 1989 and 1999.

Emergencies arising during commercial airline flights may have serious consequences. We report the experience of the Paris Emergency Medical Service (SAMU) in providing in-flight assistance to Air France between 1989 and 1999. During this period medical advice was sought 380 times during the carriage of about 350 million passengers.