Cause of death in avalanche fatalities

Wilderness and Environmental Medicine

Volumn 18, Issue 4, 2007, Pages 293-297

  McIntosh, Scott E ^a   Grissom, Colin K ^b   Olivares, Christopher R ^a   Kim, Han S ^a   Tremper, Bruce ^c  

^a UNIVERSITY OF UTAH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE   (United States)

^b LDS HOSPITAL   (United States)

^c Utah Avalanche Center   (United States)

Author keywords

Asphyxiation; Autopsy; Avalanche; Backcountry; Mortality; Ski; Snowboard; Trauma

Indexed keywords

ADOLESCENT; ADULT; ARTICLE; ASPHYXIA; AUTOPSY; AVALANCHE; CAUSE OF DEATH; DISASTER; FATALITY; FEMALE; HEAD INJURY; HUMAN; MALE; MEDICAL RECORD REVIEW; RECREATION; RISK ASSESSMENT; RURAL AREA; SAMPLE SIZE; SCHOOL CHILD; SKIING; UNITED STATES; WINTER;

EID: 37449018025     PISSN: 10806032     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1580/07-WEME-OR-092R1.1     Document Type: Article

References (21)

1. Tremper B. Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain. 1st ed. Seattle, WA: Mountaineer Books; 2001.
2. Falk M, Brugger H, Adler-Kastner L. Avalanche survival chances. Nature. 1994;368:21.
3. Hohlrieder M, Eschertzhuber S, Schubert H, et al. Severity and pattern of injury in survivors of alpine fall accidents. High Alt Med Biol. 2004;5:349-354.
4. Eliakis E. La mort violente par avalanche. Mise au point medico-legal. Med. Legale Dommage Corporel. 1974;7: 83-87.
5. Lugger L, Unterdorfer H. Obduktionsergebnisse bei Lawinenverunfallten. Artztliche Praxis. 1972;24:28-31.
6. Lapras A. Pathologie des ensevelis. Nouv Presse Med. 1980;9:3124-3130.
7. Markwalder D. Medizinische Aspekte bei Lawinenunfallen. Druck AG, Zurich; 1969.
8. Stalsberg H, Albretsen C, Gilbert M, et al. Mechanism of death in avalanche victims. Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histopathol. 1989;414:415-422.
9. Tough SC, Butt JC. A review of 19 fatal injuries associated with backcountry skiing. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 1993;14:17-21.
10. Grossman MD, Saffle JR, Thomas F, et al. Avalanche trauma. J Trauma. 1989;29:1705-1709.
11. Johnson SM, Johnson AC, Barton RG. Avalanche trauma and closed head injury: adding insult to injury. Wilderness Environ Med. 2001;12:244-247.
12. Locher T, Walpoth BH. Differential diagnosis of circulatory failure in hypothermic avalanche victims: retrospective analysis of 32 avalanche accidents [in German]. Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax. 1996;85:1275-1282.
13. Tschirky F, Brabec B, Kern M. Avalanche rescue devices, state of the development, success and failure [in German]. In: Osterreichische Gesellschaft fur Alpin und Hohenmedizin. Austrian Society of Mountain Medicine; 2001:101-125.
14. Silverton N, McIntosh SE, Kim H. Avalanche Safety Practices in Utah. Wilderness Environ Med. 2007;18:264-270.
15. Grissom CK, Radwin MI, Harmston CH, et al. Respiration during snow burial using an artificial air pocket. JAMA. 2000;283:2266-2271.
16. Brugger H, Sumann G, Meister R, et al. Hypoxia and hypercapnia during respiration into an artificial air pocket in snow: implications for avalanche survival. Resuscitation. 2003;58:81-88.
17. Grissom CK, Radwin MI, Scholand MB, et al. Hypercapnia increases core temperature cooling rate during snow burial. J Appl Physiol. 2004;96:1365-1370.
18. Radwin MI, Grissom CK. Technological advances in avalanche survival. Wilderness Environ Med. 2002;13:143-152.
19. Radwin MI, Grissom CK, Scholand MB, et al. Normal oxygenation and ventilation during snow burial by the exclusion of exhaled carbon dioxide. Wilderness Environ Med. 2001;12:256-262.
20. Braun P. Probleme der Ersten Hilfe beim Lawinenunfall. In: Tagung Uber Medizinische Aspekte des Lawinenunfalls. Kantonsspital Zurich. Zurich, Switzerland: Juris Druck and Verlag; 1976:89-96.
21. Kempainen RR, Brunette DD. The evaluation and management of accidental hypothermia. Respir Care. 2004;49: 192-205.