Retrospective analysis of 616 air-rescue trauma cases related to the practice of extreme sports

IntroductionExtreme sports (ESs) are increasingly popular, and accidents due to ESs sometimes require helicopter emergency medical services (HEMSs). Little is known about their epidemiology, severity, specific injuries and required rescue operations.AimOur aims were to perform an epidemiological analysis, to identify specific injuries and to describe the characteristic of prehospital procedures in ES accidents requiring HEMSs.MethodsThis is a retrospective study, reviewing all rescue missions dedicated to ESs provided by HEMS REGA Lausanne, from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2008. ES were classified into three categories of practice, according to the type of risk at the time of the fall.ResultsAmong the 616 cases meeting inclusion criteria, 219 (36%) were clearly high-risk ES accidents; 69 (11%) and 328 (53%) were related to potential ES, but with respectively low or indeterminate risk at the time of the fall. In the high-risk ES group, the median age was 32 years and 80% were male. Mortality at 48 h was 11%, almost ten times higher than in the other two groups. The proportion of potentially life-threatening injuries (the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) score ≥ 4) was 39% in the high-risk ES group and 13% in the other two groups. Thirty per cent of the cases in the high-risk ES group presented an Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15, compared with 7% in the other groups. Thoracolumbar vertebral fractures were the most common injuries with 32% of all cases having at least one, involving the T12–L2 junction in 56% of cases. The other most frequent injuries were traumatic brain injuries (16%), rib fractures (9%), pneumothorax (8%) and femoral (7%), cervical (7%), ankle (5%) and pelvic (5%) fractures. Median time on site for rescue teams was higher in the confirmed high-risk ES group, with 50% of prehospital missions including at least one environmental difficulty.ConclusionsHigh-risk ESs led to high-energy accidents, characterized by a large proportion of severe injuries and axial traumas (spine, thorax, pelvis and proximal femur). We identified a considerable percentage of thoracolumbar vertebral fractures, mainly in the T12–L2 junction. HEMSs dedicated to high-risk ESs implied longer and more complex interventions.     

When Artificial Intelligence Models Surpass Physician Performance: Medical Malpractice Liability in an Era of Advanced Artificial Intelligence

It seems inevitable that diagnostic and recommender artificial intelligence models will ultimately reach a point when they outperform human clinicians. Just as antibiotics displaced a host of medicinals for treating infections, the superior performance of such models will force their adoption. This article contemplates certain ethical and legal implications bearing on that adoption, especially because they involve a clinician’s exposure to allegations of malpractice. The article discusses four relevant considerations: (1) the imperative of using explainable artificial intelligence models in clinical care, (2) specific strategies for diminishing liability when a clinician agrees or disagrees with a model’s findings or recommendations but the patient nevertheless experiences a poor outcome, (3) relieving liability through legislation or regulation, and (4) comprehending such models as “persons” and therefore as potential defendants in legal proceedings. We conclude with observations on clinician–vendor relationships and argue that, although advanced artificial intelligence models have not yet arrived, clinicians must begin considering their implications now.     

Helicopter rescue operations involving winching of an emergency physician

ObjectiveWe sought to study the epidemiologic and medical aspects of alpine helicopter rescue operations involving the winching of an emergency physician to the victim.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical and operational reports of a single helicopter-based emergency medical service. Data from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2008 were analysed.ResultsA total of 921 patients were identified, with a male:female ratio of 2:1. There were 56 (6%) patients aged 15 or under. The median time from emergency call to helicopter take-off was 7 min (IQR = 5–10 min). 840 (91%) patients suffered from trauma-related injuries, with falls from heights during sports activities the most frequent event. The most common injuries involved the legs (246 or 27%), head (175 or 19%), upper limbs (117 or 13%), spine (108 or 12%), and femur (66 or 7%). Only 81 (9%) victims suffered from a medical emergency, but these cases were, when compared to the trauma victims, significantly more severe according to the NACA index (p < 0.001). Overall, 246 (27%) patients had a severe injury or illness, namely, a potential or overt vital threat (NACA score between 4 and 6). A total of 478 (52%) patients required administration of major analgesics: fentanyl (443 patients or 48%), ketamine (42 patients or 5%) or morphine (7 patients or 1%). The mean dose of fentanyl was 188 micrograms (range 25–750, SD 127). Major medical interventions such as administration of vasoactive drugs, intravenous perfusions of more than 1000 ml of fluids, ventilation or intubation were performed on 39 (4%) patients.ConclusionsThe severity of the patients’ injuries or illnesses along with the high proportion of medical procedures performed directly on-site validates emergency physician winching for advanced life support procedures and analgesia.