title: The prehospital management of avalanche victims.
abstract: Avalanche accidents are frequently lethal events with an overall mortality of 23%. Mortality increases dramatically to 50% in instances of complete burial. With modern day dense networks of ambulance services and rescue helicopters, health workers often become involved during the early stages of avalanche rescue. Historically, some of the most devastating avalanche accidents have involved military personnel. Armed forces are frequently deployed to mountain regions in order to train for mountain warfare or as part of ongoing conflicts. Furthermore, military units are frequently called to assist civilian organised rescue in avalanche rescue operations. It is therefore important that clinicians associated with units operating in mountain regions have an understanding of, the medical management of avalanche victims, and of the preceding rescue phase. The ensuing review of the available literature aims to describe the pathophysiology particular to avalanche victims and to outline a structured approach to the search, rescue and prehospital medical management.
authors.affiliation: Anesthesia and Critical Care Research Group, UIT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.|Department of Internal Medicine, Helgeland Hospital Trust, Sandnessjoen, Norway.|East Anglian Air Ambulance, Marshall Airfield, Cambridge, UK.|Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsoe, Norway.|Svolvaer Alpine Rescue Group, Svolvaer, Norway.
authors.forename: Daniel K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kornhall
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Hospital of Southern Norway, Kristiansand, Norway.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martens-Nielsen
mesh_terms: D061906:Advanced Trauma Life Support Care; D000401:Aircraft; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000628:therapy*; D055875:Avalanches; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D004190:Disasters; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000628:therapy*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000628:therapy*; D008889:Military Personnel; D018635:Rescue Work; D017694:Rewarming; D014218:Triage; D014947:Wounds and Injuries
keywords: ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY MEDICINE; ALTITUDE MEDICINE; ANAESTHETICS