Universität zu Köln

Komorowski, Matthieu ORCID: 0000-0003-0559-5747, Fleming, Sarah, Mawkin, Mala and Hinkelbein, Jochen (2018). Anaesthesia in austere environments: literature review and considerations for future space exploration missions. NPJ Microgravity, 4. NEW YORK: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. ISSN 2373-8065

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Abstract

Future space exploration missions will take humans far beyond low Earth orbit and require complete crew autonomy. The ability to provide anaesthesia will be important given the expected risk of severe medical events requiring surgery. Knowledge and experience of such procedures during space missions is currently extremely limited. Austere and isolated environments (such as polar bases or submarines) have been used extensively as test beds for spaceflight to probe hazards, train crews, develop clinical protocols and countermeasures for prospective space missions. We have conducted a literature review on anaesthesia in austere environments relevant to distant space missions. In each setting, we assessed how the problems related to the provision of anaesthesia (e.g., medical kit and skills) are dealt with or prepared for. We analysed how these factors could be applied to the unique environment of a space exploration mission. The delivery of anaesthesia will be complicated by many factors including space-induced physiological changes and limitations in skills and equipment. The basic principles of a safe anaesthesia in an austere environment (appropriate training, presence of minimal safety and monitoring equipment, etc.) can be extended to the context of a space exploration mission. Skills redundancy is an important safety factor, and basic competency in anaesthesia should be part of the skillset of several crewmembers. The literature suggests that safe and effective anaesthesia could be achieved by a physician during future space exploration missions. In a life-or-limb situation, non-physicians may be able to conduct anaesthetic procedures, including simplified general anaesthesia.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Komorowski, Matthieu UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0003-0559-5747 UNSPECIFIED Fleming, Sarah UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Mawkin, Mala UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Hinkelbein, Jochen UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-195601
DOI:	10.1038/s41526-018-0039-y
Journal or Publication Title:	NPJ Microgravity
Volume:	4
Date:	2018
Publisher:	NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
Place of Publication:	NEW YORK
ISSN:	2373-8065
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES; REGIONAL ANESTHESIA; DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES; ENDOTRACHEAL INTUBATION; ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE; OROTRACHEAL INTUBATION; WILDERNESS MEDICINE; DIRECT LARYNGOSCOPY; AIRWAY MANAGEMENT; LEARNING-CURVE Multiple languages Multidisciplinary Sciences Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/19560