The impact of avalanche rescue devices on survival.
BACKGROUND
Within Europe and North America, the median annual mortality from snow avalanches between 1994 and 2003 was 141. There are two commonly used rescue devices: the avalanche transceiver, which is intended to speed up locating a completely buried person, and the avalanche airbag, which aims to prevent the person from being completely buried.


OBJECTIVE
This retrospective study aimed to evaluate whether these avalanche rescue devices had an effect on mortality.


METHODS
The study population was 1504 persons who were involved in 752 avalanches either in Switzerland from 1990 to 2000 and from 2002 to 2003 (1296 persons, 86.2%) or in Austria from 1998 to 2004 (208 persons, 13.8%).


RESULTS
Persons equipped with an avalanche airbag had a lower chance of dying (2.9% versus 18.9%; P=0.026, OR 0.09, n=1504). In persons who were completely buried, without visible or audible signs at the surface and who did not rescue themselves (n=317), we found a lower median duration of burial (25min versus 125min; P<0.001) and mortality (55.2% versus 70.6%; P<0.001, OR 0.26) in those using an avalanche transceiver than in those not using the device.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data showed that both the avalanche airbag and the avalanche transceiver reduce mortality. However, to improve the evaluation of rescue devices in the future, the data collection procedures should be reviewed and prospective trials should be considered, as the reliability of retrospective studies is limited.
Brugger
Hermann
H
International Commission for Mountain Emergency Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Europastrasse 17, I-39031 Bruneck, Italy. brugger.med@pass.dnet.it
Etter
Hans Jürg
HJ
Zweifel
Benjamin
B
Mair
Peter
P
Hohlrieder
Matthias
M
Ellerton
John
J
Elsensohn
Fidel
F
Boyd
Jeff
J
Sumann
Günther
G
Falk
Markus
M
D017278:Air Bags / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001317:Austria; D004190:Disasters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D011845:Radio / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018635:Rescue Work / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D038161:Snow Sports / Q000293:injuries*; D013534:Survival; D013557:Switzerland