title: [Rescue helicopter service in Bodö--advanced emergency service or alternative transportation?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An increase in fatal accidents in helicopter ambulance missions in Norway has put focus on the guidelines for use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ambulance records from the physician-staffed SeaKing rescue helicopter in Bodø, Northern Norway, from 1988 to 1998 were analysed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  2,498 ambulance missions carried 2,590 patients. Median time to lift-off was 29 minutes, and one-way median flying time was 26 minutes. Four local communities with a total of 12,000 residents (6.3% of the population served by the helicopter) ordered 70% of the missions. 35% of the patients suffered from cardiovascular disease, 12% were in labour, 3.2% were seriously traumatized, while 20% had minor injuries. A total of 107 patients (4%) received advanced pre-hospital emergency treatment. Thirty-eight (1.5%) were intubated and received cardiopulmonary resuscitation, of whom two survived to discharge. Over a period of 11 years, 53 patients were intubated by the anaesthesiologist. Oxygen or intravenous lines as the only treatment effort were given to 72%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It takes about an hour to reach remote locations by rescue helicopter. A substantial amount of the transports could have been carried out by ground ambulance without loss of health benefit. We question the need for an on-board anaesthesiologist.
authors.affiliation: Anestesiavdelingen Nordland Sentralsykehus 8092 Bodø. atle.ulvik@haukeland.no
authors.forename: Atle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ulvik
authors.forename: Bård Stian
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Rannestad
authors.forename: Anders Wetting
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Carlsen
authors.forename: Erik Waage
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D000328:Adult; D017732:Air Ambulances / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006300:Health Services Misuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D009664:Norway; D018635:Rescue Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000379:methods*; D014600:Utilization Review