Transportation of Critically Ill Pediatric Patients as Disaster Relief by the Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
Air Medical Journal · 2026-01-01 · Observational study
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study reviewed pediatric cases managed by the Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AMES) of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and analyzed patient characteristics. METHODS: Pediatric transportation cases (n = 34) between 2006 and 2023 were reviewed. Data on patient age, main disease, transportation purpose and distance, and use of mechanical ventilators or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) were obtained by referring to the records. RESULTS: The average (standard deviation) patient age was 5.7 (5.8) years (range: 0-16 years), and 17 patients (50%) were younger than 1 year of age. Furthermore, 10 (58.8%) of these 17 children were younger than 7 months of age and 1 child was under 1 month of age. The most common diseases in the overall patient population were cardiovascular diseases (CVDs, n = 18) and respiratory diseases (RDs, n = 14). The purposes of transportation in cases of 17 patients with CVDs and 3 patients with RDs were the implantation of a ventricular assist device and lung transplantation, respectively. The average transportation distance was 453.7 (218.6) (range: 176.9-962.8) miles or 730.2 (351.8) (range: 284.7-1,549.5) km, and in 8 cases, the transportation distance was > 600 miles. Of the patients, 29 (85.3%) were fitted with a ventilator, of whom 8 received ECMO (6 with CVDs and 2 with RDs). In all cases, physicians from the transporting hospitals were on board. There were no cases of cardiac arrest during the transportation. CONCLUSION: AMES plays an important role, especially in the long-distance transportation of critically ill children.
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Tags
Helicopter & air ambulance · Children · ECMO & mechanical circulatory support · Interfacility & critical care transport · Military & tactical · Neonates
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