Experience of with a Helicopter transport of pregnant women

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  • IWASAKU Kazuhiro
    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
  • YAMAMOTO Hiroki
    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
  • YASUO Tadahiro
    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kyoto Prefectural Yosanoumi Hospital
  • YAMAGUCHI Takeshi
    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kyoto Prefectural Yosanoumi Hospital

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Other Title
  • ヘリコプターによる母体搬送の経験
  • 診療 ヘリコプターによる母体搬送の経験
  • シンリョウ ヘリコプター ニ ヨル ボタイ ハンソウ ノ ケイケン

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Abstract

From our hospital, 59 patients were transported via helicopter between April 1994 and December 2007; 54 were carried to hospitals in Kyoto City. They consisted of 48 patients with heart disease, 4 pregnant women, and 2 newborns. We investigated the limitations of helicopter transport during the perinatal period.<BR>The advantages of transport via helicopter include a high speed of 200 km/h and vibration-free, smooth transport in comparison with an ambulance. As its limitations, flying at night or in bad weather is impossible, and the partial pressure of oxygen decrease with a high altitude barometric pressure, decreasing SpO2. The physical and mental influence of helicopter transport on mothers and newborns remains to be clarified. As no additional persons can ride in a helicopter, preoperative explanation can only be made after the family's arrival, even when emergency surgery is required. Therefore, the start of surgery is delayed, lessening the merit of rapid transport. The inside of a helicopter is narrow, and it is impossible to provide treatment during transport. Therefore, as a rule, all necessary treatments should be completed in the hospital from which the patient is being referred, and a helicopter must be used only for the purpose of transportation.<BR>The establishment of a system in which a helicopter can be smoothly utilized in the case of an emergency based on an agreement with the head office of the fire department regarding helicopter emergency medicine has facilitated the rapid transport of high-risk pregnant women to high-level medical facilities using a helicopter desired for disaster relief. In the future, perinatal coordinators should establish a broad-area transport control center to immediately determine a hospital in which emergently transported mothers will be accepted and promote the smooth, flexible management of rapid transport system with a helicopter and ambulance.[Adv Obstet Gynecol, 60 (4) : 320-326, 2008 (H20.11)]

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