W Sapsford. Aeromedical Evacuation Following Abdominal Surgery

It is generally accepted that there are no absolute contraindications to the movement of patients by air (1, 2). However, there are special physical and physiological factors that must be considered before subjecting a patient to the potentially hostile flight environment. The major considerations are altitude and airframe whilst minor considerations include space, noise, vibration, turbulence, G forces, temperature, humidity, fatigue, anxiety, time zone changes and airsickness. The purpose of this review is to consider when, following abdominal surgery, a patient can be considered for aeromedical evacuation. This review will consider only fixed wing aeromedical evacuation (AE) in pressurised aircraft capable of maintaining a cabin altitude of 8000 feet or better, which depends primarily on the airframe and secondarily on the altitude flown but includes all fixed wing aircraft deployed on aeromedical evacuation missions in the RAF. Furthermore, this review will concentrate on patients following abdominal surgery. Each aeromedical evacuation must be judged on its merits and in each case the anticipated benefits must outweigh the associated risks. In order to achieve this, the destination medical facility should be of a higher standard of medical care than the originating facility and the standard of care during aeromedical transfer should be at least equal to that of the originating facility.