Helicopter air medical transport: ten-year outcomes for trauma patients in a New England program.
BACKGROUND
Twenty-five years have passed since the introduction of the first civilian hospital-based air medical helicopter service. This study reviews the impact of a single air medical service during a decade of service on the survival of severely injured trauma patients.


METHODS
A retrospective database analysis was performed to determine program demographics and obtain outcome data. The outcomes of trauma patients were compared to mortality derived from a national database utilizing physiologic indices of severity.


RESULTS
Outcome analysis demonstrated an overall 13% reduction in mortality for air transported patients when compared to controls. Stratification based upon Trauma Score demonstrated a 35% reduction in mortality for victims transported directly from the scene with scene scores between four and 13, and essentially no difference in outcome for patients at Trauma Score extremes.


CONCLUSIONS
Rapid utilization of helicopter air medical transport can have a dramatic impact upon patient outcome, especially within a select group of scene transported trauma patients with Trauma Scores ranging from four to 13.
Jacobs
L M
LM
Department of Traumatology and Emergency Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, USA.
Gabram
S G
SG
Sztajnkrycer
M D
MD
Robinson
K J
KJ
Libby
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D017732:Air Ambulances; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009511:New England / Q000453:epidemiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality