Those of you who know me well, know that I love to travel. Once I became a Physician, I felt compelled to respond to any medical emergency on airplanes or anywhere else - to fulfill the Oath of Maimonides.
Most cases on planes were straightforward and due to pre-syncope or dehydration, all of which required an easy fix. Some emergencies went smoothly, and some have left me wondering how we can improve attention to medical emergencies on airplanes.
I can recall being on planes without the basic supplies like a blood pressure cuff or life-saving medications like Epinephrine. I have even contemplated carrying my own supplies on planes in the event there is a need for a life-saving intervention. This makes traveling stressful not just for me, but for the patient who is relying on the MD on a plane with limited resources. There has been so much controversy over peanuts being served on airplanes...what do we do in the event a patient has anaphylaxis to some unknown allergen and the nearest airport is hours away without medications like Epinephrine?
I'd love to hear your stories on when you were called to help on a plane, what the situation involved, and how you think it can be improved.
Leave comments below or email them do DoctorDeenaMD@gmail.com.
Most cases on planes were straightforward and due to pre-syncope or dehydration, all of which required an easy fix. Some emergencies went smoothly, and some have left me wondering how we can improve attention to medical emergencies on airplanes.
I can recall being on planes without the basic supplies like a blood pressure cuff or life-saving medications like Epinephrine. I have even contemplated carrying my own supplies on planes in the event there is a need for a life-saving intervention. This makes traveling stressful not just for me, but for the patient who is relying on the MD on a plane with limited resources. There has been so much controversy over peanuts being served on airplanes...what do we do in the event a patient has anaphylaxis to some unknown allergen and the nearest airport is hours away without medications like Epinephrine?
I'd love to hear your stories on when you were called to help on a plane, what the situation involved, and how you think it can be improved.
Leave comments below or email them do DoctorDeenaMD@gmail.com.
Wasn't there an NEJM article with similar sentiments? Also, is it known what airlines carry in their emergency supplies? Someone must be advising them what to carry.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the NEJM article mentions the statistics surrounding in-flight emergencies, without any mention of what needs to be done to provide the patient with the best possible care. There is mention of the equipment that most planes need to carry on the FAA website; however, I found that in the emergencies I catered to many of the items in the medical kit were missing, non-functioning, or the crew did not know how to use it. Have you had any issues?
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