The first use of air transportation to support of medical activities occurred in 1870. Today, aeromedical evacuation has become a popular method of transport for critically ill patients. In the first 48 hours of life, all newborns are subject to pulmonary shunting due to delayed expansion of some alveoli, resulting in a ventilation-perfusion imbalance. A successful aeromedical evacuation requires an excellent knowledge of high altitude physiology. We report a one day-old newborn with respiratory distress syndrome who was evacuated by air in a transport incubator with mechanical ventilator support.
Keywords: Respiratory Distress, Aeromedical Evacuation, New Born