Biomedical subjects

I J Blumen

Publications and source records attributed to I J Blumen.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Flight physiology. Clinical considerations.

Altitude-related complications and the stresses of flight represent the components of flight physiology. Understanding the complexities associated with patient management relative to barometric pressure changes and hypoxia is of paramount concern to air medical personnel. This article reviews flight physiology as well as appropriate precautions and interventions that must be practiced to provide optimal patient care at various altitudes.

Aerospace Medicine↗

PubMed1991

Factors associated with the safety of EMS helicopters.

The accident rate for emergency medical service (EMS) helicopters is thought to be approximately twice the rate for other commercial (Part 135) helicopters. This observation has led to numerous news reports and to the publication of conclusions of a National Transportation Safety Board investigation. The data for these reports come from investigations of EMS helicopter accidents and incidents. The authors surveyed all listed civilian EMS helicopter programs to examine both helicopter ambulance mishaps and the number of safely completed missions. Epidemiological methods were then used to compare the safety records of different groups of EMS helicopters. The single most important factor identified was the number of flights made by the program during the study period: busy programs had an eightfold lower accident rate (P less than .0005) and a three-fold lower total mishap (accidents + incidents) rate (P less than .0005) than less active programs. Programs with the ability to fly under instrument flight rules (IFR) at the pilots discretion had no mishaps (P = .044) during the study period. Multivariate analysis shows this IFR capability to be marginally significant as an independent factor (P = .099).

Accidents, Aviation↗

PubMed1990

Activity-sensing permanent internal pacemaker dysfunction during helicopter aeromedical transport.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to establish the frequency, magnitude, and possible etiologies of the dysfunction of activity-sensing internal pacemakers during helicopter aeromedical transport. DESIGN: Two models of Medtronic Activitrax pacemakers were attached externally to healthy adult volunteers. Each volunteer then was loaded into the helicopter and subjected to a flight sequence. Pacemaker firing rates throughout this sequence were recorded. SETTING: On separate days, Aerospatiale Dauphin and Twinstar helicopters completed a total of 23 flights. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Four healthy adult volunteers, two men and two women, participated. INTERVENTIONS: These included intra- and inter-flight threshold re-programming and external magnet application. RESULTS: The average preflight pacemaker rate of 65 beats per minute increased to an average in-flight rate of 105 beats per minute, which resolved to preflight rates on shutdown. This pattern was consistently extinguished with external magnet application. CONCLUSION: The effect of rotor motion and flight vibration on the rate-response of the Activitrax pacemaker is both predictable and easily preventable. Possible guidelines for the safe transport of these patients, using pacemaker reprogramming or external magnet application, are examined.

Adult↗