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Home > List Archives

What to have ready for climbing injuries?

Ben Addleman ben.addleman at gmail.com
Tue May 26 21:43:49 BST 2009


Is anyone on the list a rock climber? I'm collecting ideas for what to bring
out on trips in terms of medical/first aid equipment, and wondering if
anyone on the list has good ideas/experiences to share.
My background: medical doctor, not a surgeon, not a paramedic. My climbing
is most frequently done in the Rockies around Calgary, and doesn't consist
of remote expeditions or any adventures at high altitude-mostly day trips
within less than one hour's drive of the nearest small hospital. We're
really talking mostly single-pitch cragging daytrips. Obviously, the first
priority is not to get hurt at all. But you can't always prevent being hit
by a falling rock, and I have a healthy respect for falling damage. I'd like
to be prepared for the common minor injuries which ruin a good day out, but
would also like to be prepared in case of major injuries while waiting for a
proper rescue. Weight is important, as anything I carry is going to be in
addition to 60m of rope, personal climbing gear, warm clothes, food etc...
Currently I'm carrying some gauze dressings and tape, and a couple of vials
of dermabond glue for minor lacerations, SAM splint and tensor bandages for
fractures. I have an instant cold pack for icing minor injuries. I bring at
least one mylar "space blanket."
A significant number of injured climbers I've seen have had pneumothoraces
from blunt trauma, haven't seen any of these being tension-I know the needle
decompression is not much in favour on this list, but I'm not going to carry
a chest tube tray-any ideas? I'm also debating what would be appropriate to
bring in terms of airway mgt (most likely scenario would be a major obtunded
head injury). A simple pocket mask and valve for ventilation would seem
reasonable, but how much else would people consider?
It goes without saying that the priority would be to get the traumatized
climber to a higher level of care rather than messing around in the field
with suboptimal equipment and conditions.


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