A critically prolonged avalanche burial with recorded cardiac electrical activity and complete recovery - a case report.
Avalanche
Hearth electrical activity
Severe hypotermia
Journal
Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine
ISSN: 1757-7241
Titre abrégé: Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101477511
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
03 Jul 2024
03 Jul 2024
Historique:
received:
05
03
2024
accepted:
06
06
2024
medline:
4
7
2024
pubmed:
4
7
2024
entrez:
3
7
2024
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
The probability of survival in avalanche accidents is time-dependent. Critically buried victims who undergo a long burial duration (over 60 min) face a possible mortality rate of over 80%. Understanding the physiological response during critical avalanche burial is crucial for improving rescue strategies and outcomes. We present the case of a 55-year-old male skier buried under an avalanche for 4 h and 51 min in the Italian Alps. Continuous heart rate monitoring revealed distinct phases of cardiac activity during burial. Despite severe hypothermia, the victim survived without extracorporeal rewarming. This case highlights the importance of continuous monitoring and appropriate on-site management in avalanche accidents. Factors such as the presence of an air pocket may positively influence survival. This case underscores the importance of comprehensive resuscitative measures and guidelines for managing avalanche victims with prolonged burial durations.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38961504
doi: 10.1186/s13049-024-01230-0
pii: 10.1186/s13049-024-01230-0
doi:
Types de publication
Case Reports
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
61Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s).
Références
AINEVA, https://aineva.it/ . Accessed 10 Jan 2024.
European Avalanche Warning Services, https://www.avalanches.org/ . Accessed 10 Jan 2024.
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