On 22 August 1985 a fire occurred on a Boeing 737 jet airliner at take off at Manchester Airport. One hundred and thirty seven passengers and crew were on board. Fifty two passengers died on the aircraft, 85 escaped. Most survivors had minor physical injuries, but 15 required admission to hospital because of smoke inhalation and two of these had severe burns. At presentation only one survivor required ventilation but within 12 hours a further five required ventilation. Although initially patients suffering from smoke inhalation may seem relatively well, lung function may deteriorate rapidly in the first 24 hours. Careful organisation and regular practice of procedures to deal with a major accident are essential to be able to respond adequately to such an event. (+info)
Relative mortality of unbelted infant passengers and belted non-infant passengers in air accidents with survivors.
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Aircraft accidents with survivors were examined to determine the relative risk of mortality for unrestrained infant passengers vs seat-belted adult passengers. The crude relative risk was estimated to be 7.1, based on US data, and 7.4, based on worldwide data. More refined estimates allow for possible effect of seat location and for differences in lethality between crashes. Using such estimates, unbelted infant passengers have relative risk of 5.9 based on US data and 9.6 based on worldwide data. The injury experience of restrained vs unrestrained automobile passengers suggests that observed excess risk to infant air passengers may be related to the absence of a mechanical restraint system. Recommendations for a mechanical restraint system are made and the cost and benefits of implementing these recommendations in the US are discussed. (+info)
Cohort study of Air Canada pilots: mortality, cancer incidence, and leukemia risk.
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Despite the special working environment and exposures of airline pilots, data on risk of death and cancer incidence in this occupational group are limited. The authors investigated a cohort of 2,740 Air Canada pilots who contributed 62,449 person-years of observation. All male pilots employed for at least 1 year on and since January 1, 1950, were studied. The cutoff date for outcome information was December 31, 1992. Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and standardized incidence ratio (SIR) were used to compare mortality rates and cancer incidence rates of the cohort with the respective Canadian population rates. Ninety percent confidence intervals of the SMR and SIR were calculated. Statistically significant decreased mortality was observed for all causes (SMR = 0.63, 90% confidence interval (CI) 0.56-0.70), for all cancers (SMR = 0.61, 90% CI 0.48-0.76), and for all noncancer diseases (SMR = 0.53, 90% CI 0.45-0.62). Mortality from aircraft accidents was significantly raised (SMR = 26.57, 90% CI 19.3-35.9). Significantly decreased cancer incidence was observed for all cancers (SIR = 0.71, 90% CI 0.61-0.82), rectal cancer (SIR = 0.42, 90% CI 0.14-0.96), lung cancer (SIR = 0.28, 90% CI 0.16-0.46), and bladder cancer (SIR = 0.36, 90% CI 0.12-0.82). Prostate cancer (SIR = 1.87, 90% CI 1.38-2.49) and acute myeloid leukemia (SIR = 4.72, 90% CI 2.05-9.31) were significantly increased. The preferred relative risk model for radiation-induced nonchronic lymphoid leukemia (Beir V report) was applied to the cohort by using published estimates of in-flight radiation exposures. The estimated relative risk ranged from 1.001 to 1.06 and did not differ significantly from the observed SIR (SIR = 1.88, 90% CI 0.80-3.53). However, the incidence rate of acute myeloid leukemia was significantly increased. Monitoring of in-flight radiation exposure and long-term follow-up of civil aviation crew members is needed to further assess cancer incidence and leukemia risk in this special occupational group. (+info)
Icarus's syndrome: new hazards in flight.
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The British Hang Gliding Association accident report for 1975 reported two deaths. The remaining cases were predominantly limb fractures. The major causes of the injuries were inexperience, high wind speed, turbulence, and stalling. It is contended that the sport is no more risky than is rock climbing, motor-bike racing, skiing, or potholing, yet against these undoubtedly dangerous sports no threat of prohibition exists. The current accident rate in hang gliding could be reduced dramatically by the provision of proper courses of instruction. (+info)
Atlanto-axial dislocation without fracture: case report of an ejection injury.
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We describe an unusual injury to the upper cervical spine sustained during ejection from an aircraft. MRI provided an accurate and direct diagnosis of the severe ligamentous injuries. (+info)
Manitoba crash a wake-up call for "fly-in" physicians.
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A December plane crash in northern Manitoba served to remind the province's "fly-in" physicians of the perils their work may entail. Four people were killed and 13 injured in the crash, which left Dr. Gerry Huot in serious condition in a Winnipeg hospital. The accident caused a serious head injury, and 4 months later he remains in hospital. It is causing some physicians to rethink their travel plans. (+info)
Treatment of the survivors from the Nagoya air crash.
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Six patients were taken to our hospital alive just after the air crash at Nagoya Airport in 1994. On admission, all patients suffered from profound shock which rapidly progressed. Serum albumin and hemoglobin levels, and platelet count decreased on admission or soon after. The four patients who died could not recover from the shock and associated rapid deterioration of neurological signs. However, two patients were successfully treated with massive transfusion of packed red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, fresh blood, and/or platelet concentrate and survived to discharge. We recommend addition of albumin to the transfusate in such cases. (+info)
229 people, 15,000 body parts: pathologists help solve Swissair 111's grisly puzzles.
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Only 1 of the 229 passengers and crew members killed when Swissair Flight 111 crashed off Nova Scotia in September was visually identifiable. Identifying everyone else on board involved medical and dental detective work of the first order. (+info)