9 Dec 2022
In October 2022, London’s Air Ambulance Charity’s advanced trauma team treated 178 patients in London. Each of these individuals were critically injured and in need of urgent pre-hospital care.
The most common mechanism of injury was penetrating trauma, which resulted in 74 patients (42 per cent). Road traffic collisions resulted in 43 patients (24 per cent), falls from height 35 patients (20 per cent), other injuries 17 patients (nine per cent) and medical injuries nine (five per cent).
In response to these injuries, at the roadside our doctor and paramedic teams administered 36 ultrasounds, 26 rapid sequence intubations, 15 blood transfusions and five thoracotomies, alongside other life-saving procedures. Our crew are the only ones in London who can induce comas, perform open heart surgery and provide blood transfusions at the scene.
October also saw one use of REBOA: a procedure that involves inflating a balloon to control internal bleeding. Focused on innovating pre-hospital care, it was London’s Air Ambulance who performed the world-first use of REBOA outside of a hospital in 2014.
Lambeth was the borough we were dispatched most to during this month and nearly half (44 per cent) of our patients were taken to The Royal London Hospital. St. Mary’s Hospital received 24 per cent of our patients during October, King’s College Hospital 16 per cent and St. George’s Hospital 12 per cent.
There were five carry backs during this month too – this is when the patient is flown back to The Royal London Hospital and unloaded from the helicopter onto the helipad. This is usually a rare occurrence, as our team’s primary purpose is to bring the emergency department to the patient on the roadside.
If you’re interested in how these statistics compare the previous month, have a read through September’s mission report here.
London’s Air Ambulance is a charity and we rely on public support to remain operational. But we need to replace our two helicopters by 2024, which will cost an additional £15 million.
Can you help support our Up Against Time appeal, and ensure we can continue to be there for London?