International medical evacuation in children: a primary care pediatric clinic's 3-year experience.

Background: The decision whether to immediately evacuate children who have become ill is a challenge for pediatricians working in countries with limited medical resources. The aim of this study is to describe the injuries and diseases that required evacuation of children from our clinics in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to tertiary critical care hospitals over a 3-yr period.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of all patients aged less than 17 yr who underwent an international medical evacuation between April 1, 2006, and February 28, 2009.