P Nagele1, G Kroesen. 1. Universitätsklinik für Anästhesie und Allgemeine Intensivmedizin, Universität Wien. peter.nagele@univie.ac.at
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We studied the epidemiology and outcome of prehospital pediatric emergencies treated by a physician-staffed mobile intensive care unit (MICU). METHODS: A 3-year retrospective analysis for the period 1991-1993. RESULTS: Children under the age of 15 years comprised 5.1% of the patients treated by the MICU (372/7423), 87.4% of whom were not in a life-threatening condition. The most common emergencies were: trauma (30.4%), febrile seizure (27.7%), and subglottal laryngitis (12.6%). In 44.6% of cases there was no medical indication for the MICU. Intubation at the scene was required by 17 patients (4.6%), and 11 (3.0%) underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation following prehospital cardiac arrest; two children were successfully resuscitated but died in hospital. A total of 217 (61.3%) were admitted to the ward, 9 of these to a critical care unit. The average length of stay was 4.9 days, and 94.5% of patients were discharged in good health. CONCLUSION: Prehospital pediatric emergencies are rare and seldom life-threatening. Continuing education in pediatric emergency care is important for emergency physicians.
OBJECTIVES: We studied the epidemiology and outcome of prehospital pediatric emergencies treated by a physician-staffed mobile intensive care unit (MICU). METHODS: A 3-year retrospective analysis for the period 1991-1993. RESULTS:Children under the age of 15 years comprised 5.1% of the patients treated by the MICU (372/7423), 87.4% of whom were not in a life-threatening condition. The most common emergencies were: trauma (30.4%), febrile seizure (27.7%), and subglottal laryngitis (12.6%). In 44.6% of cases there was no medical indication for the MICU. Intubation at the scene was required by 17 patients (4.6%), and 11 (3.0%) underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation following prehospital cardiac arrest; two children were successfully resuscitated but died in hospital. A total of 217 (61.3%) were admitted to the ward, 9 of these to a critical care unit. The average length of stay was 4.9 days, and 94.5% of patients were discharged in good health. CONCLUSION: Prehospital pediatric emergencies are rare and seldom life-threatening. Continuing education in pediatric emergency care is important for emergency physicians.
Authors: Harald F Selig; Helmut Trimmel; Wolfgang G Voelckel; Michael Hüpfl; Gerhard Trittenwein; Peter Nagele Journal: Wien Klin Wochenschr Date: 2011-06-22 Impact factor: 1.704