Simulated Avalanche vs Tree-Well Burial Effects on Human Physiology

Area of Science:

• Environmental Medicine
• Sports Medicine
• Physiology

Background:

• Avalanches and tree-wells (TW) are significant causes of snow immersion fatalities among skiers and snowboarders.
• Tree-well burials present unique challenges due to snow density, victim position, and physiological responses, potentially differing from avalanche burials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the physiological responses during simulated avalanche burials versus simulated tree-well burials.
• To investigate differences in core temperature, oxygen saturation, and participant distress between the two burial scenarios.

Main Methods:

• A prospective controlled trial involving eleven volunteers undergoing two paired 60-minute snow burials: avalanche and TW simulations.
• Monitoring of core temperature, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation (SpO2), and heart rate, while controlling for position and snowpack density.

Main Results:

• Simulated avalanche burials had a significantly faster cooling rate (-0.017°C/min) compared to TW burials (-0.012°C/min).
• SpO2 decreased 10.9 times faster in TW burials (-0.12 Δ%/min) than in avalanche conditions (-0.011 Δ%/min).
• Participants requested earlier termination of the study more frequently during the TW simulation.

Conclusions:

• Simulated tree-well burial leads to a slower rate of core temperature decrease but results in earlier and more rapid hypoxemia compared to avalanche burial.
• The inverted body position in TW burials may exacerbate physiological distress and contribute to faster hypoxia.
• Findings have critical implications for optimizing search and rescue strategies and resuscitation protocols for snow burial victims.