Medical Evacuation and Vehicles for Transport

Airway management in microgravity: A systematic review

“…Presently, the International Space Station (ISS) is only prepared for basic medical treatment . Fortunately, only three astronauts have required evacuation back to Earth for medical reasons so far . The NASA once estimated one medical evacuation from a low Earth orbit facility per 68 person‐months …”

External Hemorrhage Control Techniques for Human Space Exploration: Lessons from the Battlefield

“…For long-duration spaceflight, risk estimates have previously been derived by studying analog populations, such as military pilots, submarine crews, and Antarctic winterover research teams. [27][28][29] However, spaceflight poses unique operational and occupational risks that are different from those on Earth. Significant medical events during spaceflight have generally not been related to orthopedic or surgical trauma, which, in contrast, accounts for more than half of the evacuation events from McMurdo Station in Antarctica.…”

“…Significant medical events during spaceflight have generally not been related to orthopedic or surgical trauma, which, in contrast, accounts for more than half of the evacuation events from McMurdo Station in Antarctica. 27,28 Morbidity from gravity-based events on Earth and other accidental injuries, such as falls and motor vehicle accidents, are not represented in weightlessness.…”

“…This may include up to several hours in the spacecraft in which patient access and the provision of any medical care is severely constrained due to the need for pressure suits and cramped conditions. 28,36 Also, crew members would be exposed to approximately 4 +Gx during the landing profile. A hemorrhagic shock model in primates undergoing centrifugation has shown that exposure to re-entry acceleration forces significantly increases shock parameters compared with a normovolemic control condition, with more adverse events when the hemorrhage is severe (class III or IV, or >30% loss of blood volume).…”