È stata una “prima” per il mondo della ricerca in medicina di montagna. Una trentina di persone appassionate di montagna ha partecipato a un test mai svolto prima con questa modalità: farsi seppellire completamente dalla neve – monitorati da un team di ricerca – per testare in condizioni realistiche l’efficacia di un nuovo dispositivo per gli incidenti in valanga. Il dispositivo è stato progettato per allungare il tempo in cui si riesce a sopravvivere sotto la neve: pompa aria in modo continuo vicino a naso e bocca per oltre un'ora per evitare di soffocare rapidamente.

Uno studio unico per contribuire alla ricerca sugli incidenti in valanga

Prove di sopravvivenza sotto la neve 

Mountains unite them: Ecologist Ulrike Tappeiner has been studying alpine ecosystems for four decades and keeps records on climate change and biodiversity. Emergency Physician Hermann Brugger researches the effects of altitude on the human body. Both work with huge data sets, from which they extract answers to scientific questions from months, often years of work. It's time-consuming, but it's the only way to gradually gain a better understanding of our complex world. 

Conversations between disciplines: interview with ecologist Ulrike Tappeiner and emergency physician Hermann Brugger.

"The most direct route is rarely feasible"

It looks like a headset for listening to music, uses sensors placed in the external ear canal and has been tested in the terraXcube, in temperatures between -10 and 20 °C. The space-saving, noninvasive and easy-to-use instrument not only measures core temperature, but also oxygen saturation and heart rate. Eurac Research patented it in collaboration with companies Minnova Med and Kerr Srl, the innovative device performs best in emergency medical interventions, but could also be used in other hospital settings. 

Medical device to measure temperature and other vital parameters from the ear recently patented 

An emergency headset 

Eurac Research physicians tested the LUCAS automatic heart massager aboard an airbus that simulated altered gravity by means of a parabolic flight. The goal of the study was to ascertain whether the device could be used for cardiac emergencies in space.

Our researchers tested an automated heart massager to measure its efficacy on space missions

Houston, we have a (heart) problem

Research Award Alto Adige 2021 al medico ricercatore Simon Rauch

Hermann Brugger, head of the Institute for Alpine Emergency Medicine, is the editor of what is probably the most comprehensive reference work on rescue operations in the mountains. On its 700 pages, 80 authors have summarised the current state of the art in this field, from accidents caused by lightning strikes and the rescue of avalanche victims to altitude-induced psychosis.

Hermann Brugger talks about what is probably the most comprehensive standard work on rescue operations in the mountains.

"Every accident in the mountains is an emergency."

The idea that people living in high mountain areas are better protected from Covid-19 has become widely disseminated in recent months. This is especially true in South American countries, with devastating consequences, as the steadily increasing numbers of Covid-19 in Peru and Bolivia now show. 

Covid-19 in mountain areas

Altitude does not protect against the disease

In most cases, the reason why vital functions return spontaneously, minutes after an apparently unsuccessful resuscitation attempt, is still unknown, but the event is by no means rare. An international team of emergency physicians has systematically reviewed and analysed all cases published in the medical literature and provided practice guidelines based on these cases. The findings could have a notable impact on the entire field of emergency medicine.

 The science behind the spontaneous return from the dead

The Lazarus Phenomenon 

The hypothesis was put forward by US doctors when the Corona pandemic hit the States. The theory suggested Covid-19 patients strongly resembled cases of altitude sickness induced pulmonary oedema and could therefore, be treated in the same way. Together with colleagues a research team around Hermann Brugger and his institute co-director Giacomo Strapazzon has published an official statement on the differences between the two diseases and why they should not be treated equally. 

Research team publishes official statement

There is no link between Covid-19 and high-altitude pulmonary oedema

Der terraXcube simuliert Höhen bis zu 9000 Meter, Temperaturen von -40 bis +60 Grad, extreme Stürme, Regen und Schnee. Als Extremklimasimulator soll er den Forscher zum entscheidenden Durchbruch in der Höhenmedizin verhelfen. Interessant ist das einzigartige Labor aber auch für Studien im Bereich Klimawandel oder Umwelt, und natürlich für die Privatindustrie, wenn es darum geht, Produkte wie Bekleidung oder Fahrzeuge für jede Wetter- und Höhenlage zu rüsten.

Die Wundermaschine

Can wearing face masks at rest and during exercise at sea-level and altitude lead to health problems? Development of face masks with increased breathability and retained microbial filter properties.

Hermann Brugger

Projects

Project

hypO2-MASK

Project

Hypoxia-PRE-Sport

Project

MedSENS

Project

IMER

MAGAZINE Science Stories that Inspire

Prove di sopravvivenza sotto la neve

An emergency headset

Research Award Alto Adige 2021 al medico ricercatore Simon Rauch

"The most direct route is rarely feasible"

Houston, we have a (heart) problem

"Every accident in the mountains is an emergency."

Hermann Brugger

Projects

Project

hypO2-MASK

Project

Hypoxia-PRE-Sport

Project

MedSENS

Project

IMER

MAGAZINE Science Stories that Inspire

Prove di sopravvivenza sotto la neveself.__wrap_b(":R17l9dabjlm:",1)

An emergency headsetself.__wrap_b(":R17ladabjlm:",1)

Research Award Alto Adige 2021 al medico ricercatore Simon Rauchself.__wrap_b(":R17lbdabjlm:",1)

"The most direct route is rarely feasible"self.__wrap_b(":R17l9labjlm:",1)

Houston, we have a (heart) problemself.__wrap_b(":R17lalabjlm:",1)

"Every accident in the mountains is an emergency."self.__wrap_b(":R17lblabjlm:",1)

Prove di sopravvivenza sotto la neve

An emergency headset

Research Award Alto Adige 2021 al medico ricercatore Simon Rauch

"The most direct route is rarely feasible"

Houston, we have a (heart) problem

"Every accident in the mountains is an emergency."