Apache Wireless Ultrasound — Emergency Medical Rescue Challenges and Breakthroughs in the Mountains
In the mountains, encountering an emergency medical situation is often extremely dangerous and challenging due to the lack of sufficient medical equipment and personnel. However, a recent story from Taiwan’s highest peak, Yushan, demonstrates how dedicated medical volunteers and excellent medical equipment bring new hope for outdoor safety in such extreme environments.
Located at an altitude of 3,402 meters, Yushan Medical Station sees medical volunteers from all over the country every week. These volunteers carry heavy equipment and a passionate medical mission, step by step, to the Yushan Medical Station to provide the much-needed medical care for hikers at high altitudes. Their work includes addressing various altitude sickness symptoms and emergency situations, offering critical medical assistance to hikers.
Altitude Sickness Emergency Care : The Use of Apache Handheld Ultrasound
During a mission by Dr. Jia-Qing Chen from Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, a hiker experienced severe altitude sickness symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and unsteady gait, with the situation becoming critical. In this rescue operation, Dr. Chen’s Apache handheld ultrasound device played a crucial role.
Diagnostic Capability of Apache Handheld Ultrasound
Dr. Chen used the Apache handheld ultrasound to examine the hiker, quickly discovering abnormal intracranial pressure and diagnosing high-altitude cerebral edema. This is a severe altitude sickness symptom that, if not promptly treated by descending to a lower altitude, could lead to the patient falling into a coma within hours, making the situation extremely urgent.
Apache Ultrasound on duty at the Yushan Medical Station.
A 5.5mm optic nerve sheath diameter indicates that the patient’s intracranial pressure is greater than 20mmHg, which is beyond the normal range for this case.
Treatment and Rescue Emergency Care of Altitude Sickness
The medical team swiftly initiated a rescue operation, using medications and a portable PAC hyperbaric chamber from the mountain hut to treat the hiker. After several hours of rescue efforts, the hiker’s altitude sickness symptoms were brought under control, allowing the patient to eat normally and stabilize. The patient successfully descended the next day, avoiding further danger, marking another successful high-altitude rescue mission.
Treating altitude sickness using portable PAC hyperbaric chamber.
Emergency ultrasound’s Advantages of Apache Handheld Ultrasound
The Apache handheld ultrasound device can be used with mobile phones or tablets, making it lightweight, portable, and long-lasting. It boasts high image clarity, is dustproof and waterproof. With a portable charging dock, it can be recharged anytime, solving power issues in mountain environments and ensuring safe use in extreme conditions without infection control concerns.
Importance of Apache Handheld Ultrasound in Mountain Medical Rescue
The Apache handheld ultrasound device has played a vital role in mountain medical rescue, allowing medical personnel to perform quick and safe diagnostics and treatments, providing the strongest support for medical care in high-altitude environments. This device will continue to be an indispensable tool for medical staff in future mountain rescue missions, safeguarding outdoor safety.
