Shared Science - Wilderness & Environmental Medicine
WEM and The Journal of Special Operations Medicine (JSOM) participate in a shared science program. This opportunity is made possible through a reciprocal partnership between the journals. Click here to see the JSOM articles selected for WEM readers, please visit:
Therapeutic Plasma Exchange for Venom-Induced Thrombotic Microangiopathy Following Hump-Nosed Pit Viper (Genus: Hypnale) Bites: A Prospective Observational Study
—Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), which is the triad of acute kidney injury (AKI), microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA), and thrombocytopenia, is a rare complication of snakebites, and in Sri Lanka, it is commonly seen with hump-nosed pit viper (HNPV) bites.Perceptions Among Backcountry Skiers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Avalanche Safety and Backcountry Habits of New and Established Skiers
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impacted the ski industry worldwide by closing or limiting access to ski resorts. Subsequently, anecdotal reports of increased backcountry use emerged in the press, with concerns of inexperienced skiers causing or having problems in the backcountry. This study attempted to quantify this and identify motivations for new backcountry skiers.Successful Nonextracorporeal Life Support Resuscitation and Rewarming of a Patient with Hypothermia in Cardiac Arrest
We report full recovery of a patient with hypothermia in cardiac arrest following continuous and prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and conventional, nonextracorporeal life support (non-ECLS) methods. A 57-y-old man presented with unwitnessed cardiac arrest and a core temperature of 23°C (73°F). The presenting cardiac rhythm was ventricular fibrillation. The team administered epinephrine and performed defibrillation and CPR. Because ECLS was unavailable at the facility, the medical team externally and internally rewarmed the patient using heated blankets, forced warmed air, thoracic lavage, and warmed IV fluids.
