EVAC blog

How Do I Determine the Urgency and Means of Evacuation for Abdominal Issues?

Question: How do I determine the urgency and means of evacuation for abdominal issues in remote or wilderness settings?

Survival Med’s Answer:

Your concern about abdominal issues and the need for evacuation is valid, especially considering conditions like appendicitis and bleeding ulcers. Assessing the urgency and mode of evacuation involves several factors.

For severe and sudden abdominal pain, especially if the victim can’t walk, calling for evacuation is obviously prudent.

However, many cases, even serious ones, present symptoms gradually, providing a window for reassessment before severity peaks.

For instance, appendicitis typically progresses over 12-24 hours, allowing time for evacuation decisions. While immediate and excruciating pain warrants evacuation, generalized complaints usually offer a few hours for reassessment before becoming severe.

Logistics of evacuation depend on location, symptom severity, victim’s mobility, and transport distance. Helicopter evacuation is often reserved for immediate and severe cases, while less urgent situations may involve hiking out.

For any evacuations due to abdominal pain, advising the victim not to eat and noting the time of their last oral intake is essential information to share with emergency services. This cautious approach ensures appropriate medical management during evacuation.

Tourniquet Blog

What Is the Best Knot for a Tourniquet?

ryan-jump-bag

What’s in a Paramedic’s First Aid Kit?

George – Cutting the Nerve

George: Table Saw Disaster

Fluids Blog

What Does It Mean to Tolerate Fluids?

Lid Blog

What’s the Best Way to Stop Bleeding from Lid Lacerations?

Jim – Vision Loss

Jim: Worksite Eye Emergency

Crashed motorcycle with blood on it

Adrian: Terrifying Crash Leads to Near-Fatal Injuries

NEXUS Blog

When Should Spinal Immobilization Be Implemented Per NEXUS?

Rene – Lost

Rene: Nightmare Storm

MARCH Blog

What Do I Do During a MARCH Assessment?

Blister Blog

What’s a Dual-Layer Pad for Blister Prevention and What Product Should I to My First Aid Kit?

Diane – Fire

Diane: Backyard Blaze

Assess Blog

When Should I Perform the Primary Assessment, Secondary Assessment, & Secondary Survey?

Epi Blog

Is It Safe to Use Someone Else’s Epi-Pen in Anaphylactic Situations?

CPR Blog

Why Does the MARCH Protocol Prioritize Respiration Before Circulation?

Mary – Carnival Birth

Mary: Unexpected Carnival Delivery

Daniel – The Heimlich Maneuver

Daniel: Wife Chokes During Dinner

EVAC blog

How Do I Determine the Urgency and Means of Evacuation for Abdominal Issues?

Barry Betha – Heat Emergencies

Barry Betha: Overheated Biker Collapses

Anika - Plot Twist

Anika: Rock Climbing Catastrophe