Medical Event Management for Future Deep Space Exploration Missions to Mars.

Background: Long-duration exploration missions (LDEMs), such as voyages to Mars, will present unique medical challenges for astronaut crews, including communication delays and the inability to return to Earth early. Medical events threaten crewmember lives and increase the risk of mission failure. Managing a range of potential medical events will require excellent technical and nontechnical skills (NTSs).

New heights in ultrasound: first report of spinal ultrasound from the international space station.

Background: Changes in the lumbar and sacral spine occur with exposure to microgravity in astronauts; monitoring these alterations without radiographic capabilities on the International Space Station (ISS) requires novel diagnostic solutions to be developed.

Study Objectives: We evaluated the ability of point-of-care ultrasound, performed by nonexpert-operator astronauts, to provide accurate anatomic information about the spine in long-duration crewmembers in space.

Methods: Astronauts received brief ultrasound instruction on the ground and performed in-flight cervical and lumbosacral ultrasound examinations using just-in-time training and remote expert tele-ultrasound guidance.

Functional brain imaging of a complex navigation task following one night of total sleep deprivation: a preliminary study.

Several neuroimaging studies have demonstrated compensatory cerebral responses consequent to sleep deprivation (SD), but all have focused on simple tasks with limited behavioral response options. We assessed the cerebral effects associated with SD during the performance of a complex, open-ended, dual-joystick, 3D navigation task (simulated orbital docking) in a cross-over protocol, with counterbalanced orders of normal sleep (NS) and a single night of total SD (approximately 27 h). Behavioral performance on multiple measures was comparable in the two sleep conditions.

Emergencies in space.

Manned spaceflight is inherently risky and results in unique problems from a trauma and medical perspective. Emergency care under these special physiologic and environmental conditions calls for novel techniques for diagnosis and therapy.

Goal-directed ultrasound in the detection of long-bone fractures.

Background: New portable ultrasound (US) systems are capable of detecting fractures in the remote setting. However, the accuracy of ultrasound by physicians with minimal ultrasound training is unknown.

Methods: After one hour of standardized training, physicians with minimal US experience clinically evaluated patients presenting with pain and trauma to the upper arm or leg.

Advanced ultrasonic diagnosis of extremity trauma: the FASTER examination.

Background: Ultrasound is of proven accuracy in abdominal and thoracic trauma and may be useful for diagnosing extremity injury in situations where radiography is not available such as military and space applications. We prospectively evaluated the utility of extremity ultrasound performed by trained, nonphysician personnel in patients with extremity trauma to simulate remote aerospace or military applications.

Methods: Patients with extremity trauma were identified by history, physical examination, and radiographic studies.