The equestrian sport-related injury workload of a regional doctor-led air ambulance unit.

The research article discusses the role of the air ambulance service in responding to injuries caused by equestrian sports, highlighting the extent of severe injuries in horse riding and the location inaccessibility issues prevalent in these emergencies.

Objective and Method of the Study

• The research aimed to investigate the workload of the Great Western Ambulance Service Air Support Unit (ASU) in relation to equestrian sport-related injuries. The study was also interested in exploring the severity of injuries in horse riding as compared to other sports such as motorcycle racing, and the effectiveness of responding to these kinds of emergencies using the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) model of care.
• The method used to achieve the research goal was retrospective analysis. The researchers examined the ASU mission database over 18 months from July 2008 to December 2009. They identified 29 patients who were catered to by the ASU during this period.

Results of the Study

• Out of the total cases attended by the air ambulance unit, 6.8% were related to equestrian sports. These injuries were often serious, with horse riding topping motorcycle racing in the rate of severe injuries incurred. A significant percentage (45%) of patients admitted because of equestrian injuries required surgical intervention, showcasing the severity of the injuries.
• The most common injuries were orthopedic injuries to the extremities. The incidence of head injuries was notably less since the introduction of protective headwear.
• Most equestrian sport-related injuries occurred in areas inaccessible to land crew. The study found that 55.2% of missions were sent to locations inaccessible to land ambulances. The average mission time was over 2 hours, indicating a considerable effort spent in reaching the accident locations and providing aid.
• Advanced medical interventions were delivered by doctors in 20.7% of missions. However, there were no such interventions performed by the attending doctor and no access to land ambulance in 41.4% of the missions. This suggested that a large number of air ambulance dispatches were primarily due to access limits rather than for delivering advanced medical help.

Conclusions of the Study

• The research concludes that a considerable proportion of ASU dispatches were driven more by the accessibility challenges rather than the need for advanced interventions. However, when deployed appropriately, HEMS doctors on the ASU proved to be a helpful resource for a minority of equestrian sport-related injuries.
• The study also affirmed that horse riding poses a significant risk of severe injury. Therefore, resources like the air ambulance service become crucial in providing timely aid and minimizing the potential adverse outcomes of such injuries.