Anesthesiologist-manned helicopters and regionalized extracorporeal circulation facilities: a unique chance in deep hypothermia.

Norway has nine light ambulance helicopters, four heavy sea rescue helicopters and seven ambulance air planes in 24-hours duty spread all over the country. Most are manned with anesthesiologists. Five regional hospitals in all parts of the country, offer facilities for extracorporeal circulation. A case in which a 33 year old woman was found hypothermic at 21 degrees C is presented. She developed ventricular fibrillation at the time of her rescue. She was intubated and received chest compression for 70 minutes until she was rewarmed by extracorporeal circulation. She was discharged without signs of cerebral damage. The decision to bypass less advanced hospitals en route to the regional hospital proved correct in this case, and is suggested as standard procedure in deep hypothermic patients.