Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Aeromedical evacuation in Bosnia

A K Dashfield1, H R Smith, P C Young

  • 1Department of Anaesthesia, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, USA.

Journal of the Royal Naval Medical Service
|January 1, 1997
PubMed
Summary

Aeromedical evacuation showed limited benefit for trauma patients in rural Bosnia, even with poor roads. A system is needed to identify patients who truly need air ambulance services.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Diseased Gums.

The Dental register·2021
Same author

Dental Quacks, No. 3-Continued.

The Dental register·2021
Same author

Cases of Intermittent Odontalgia or Neuralgia.

The Dental register·2021
Same author

Plates and Antagonizers.

The Dental register·2021
Same author

Models and Casts.

The Dental register·2021
Same author

Impressions.

The Dental register·2021

Area of Science:

  • Emergency medicine
  • Aeromedical services
  • Trauma care

Background:

  • Aeromedical evacuation is often considered crucial for trauma patients in rural areas with poor road infrastructure.
  • However, its actual benefit compared to road ambulance services requires rigorous assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the clinical benefit of aeromedical evacuation versus road ambulance transportation for predominantly trauma patients in a rural, high-risk environment.
  • To determine if the specific conditions (high trauma rate, rural setting, poor roads) justified the use of air ambulances.

Main Methods:

  • A six-month retrospective analysis of British aeromedical flights in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
  • Expert panel assessment of patient benefit from aeromedical evacuation compared to calculated road ambulance times.
  • Data included 69 patients evacuated via 57 flights to secondary care facilities.

Main Results:

  • Only 15 out of 69 patients (22%) were found to have benefited from aeromedical evacuation.
  • Despite ideal conditions for air transport (high trauma, rural, poor roads), the benefit was significantly lower than anticipated.
  • Indiscriminate use of aeromedical evacuation yielded low patient benefit.

Conclusions:

  • Aeromedical evacuation in this setting provided limited patient benefit, questioning its routine use.
  • High costs and crew safety concerns necessitate a screening system to prioritize necessary air ambulance missions.
  • Future efforts should focus on identifying patients who would derive maximal benefit from aeromedical transport.

Related Experiment Videos