title: Rescue of a patient out of a grain container: the quicksand effect of grain.
abstract: Grain storage containers not only present inherent dangers to the operators, but also to the rescuers if someone falls in. Here we report the rescue of a patient from a grain container using a novel technique involving a cylinder placed around the patient. This allowed the grain to be sucked out from around the patient and enabled his rescue uninjured. The rescue action was complicated by acute chest pain in the patient while he was submerged in the grain, and a severe asthma attack in the emergency physician. The rescue and the dilemmas encountered are described together with a review of the relevant literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Medical University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Ludger
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bahlmann
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klaus
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heringlake
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baumeier
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmucker
authors.forename: Klaus F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D000383:Agriculture; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000209:etiology*; D002637:Chest Pain; D002523:Edible Grain; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D018635:Rescue Work