| Abstrakt: |
INTRODUCTION: The steep rise of private and commercial human spaceflight as well as the simultaneous development of the multinational Artemis lunar program has increased the potential need to educate physicians around the world on the potential emergency care of an astronaut, should a contingency occur. Human-rated spacecraft may abort on launch, de-orbit due to spacecraft emergencies, or have anomalies that cause them to land or splashdown down range from the launch site, or outside their intended areas. TOPIC: The operational, physical, and environmental elements of a human-rated spacecraft contain potential threats to astronauts and rescuers, such as volatile chemicals, radiation, heat, and pyrotechnics. The potential for decompression sickness in an emergency, excessive impact loads on landing, high G loads from ballistic re-entry as well as untoward sea states, winds, and other hazards may cause potential harm to astronauts. The physiologic changes of spaceflight, especially long duration spaceflight, may have a significant impact on resuscitation and trauma treatment protocols that could impart harm to an astronaut if not correctly recognized. For example, the papilledema of SANS may be mistaken for head trauma, or conversely may make the astronaut more susceptible to ischemic changes in more minor head trauma as they already have mild elevations in intracranial pressure. Preload deficits in long duration astronauts may place them at a higher class of shock if they incur trauma due to their inability to compensate. APPLICATION: The astute receiving physician must know the phase of spaceflight in which the anomaly occurred (launch, orbital flight, re-entry, landing), the type of vehicle (capsule versus winged, G loads, water versus land landing) and the duration of astronaut exposure to microgravity in order to correctly anticipate the physiologic changes and potential hazards imparted, and thus the appropriate care. This is especially true if a contingency has placed the responding rescue crews and flight surgeons (who are well versed in aerospace/space medicine) at a geographical disadvantage far from the response or landing site. RESOURCES: Provided at presentation. Learning Objectives 1. Understand the potential emergencies an astronaut may face during different phases of spaceflight (e.g. launch, de-orbit due to spacecraft emergencies, landing). 2. Understand the potential emergencies an astronaut may face during spaceflight due to the operational, physical and environmental elements of spaceflight (eg. volatile chemicals, radiation, heat, pyrotechnics). 3. Understand the salient differences that changes in astronaut physiology or exposures may impact or change resuscitation protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
