WHITE MATTER HYPERINTENSITIES IN ASTRONAUTS: POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE SPACE OPERATIONS

Toby Zerner/ Gordon Cable

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2018-001

PLEOMORPHIC SARCOMA IN A PILOT

Katrina Franke

ABSTRACT Sarcomas are rare malignant soft tissue tumours. This case report outlines a 45 year old pilot, presenting with a non-tender mass in his left medial thigh, subsequently diagnosed with a pleomorphic sarcoma. His management consisted of radiotherapy and surgical removal. Grading was considered FNCLCC grade 3 and there were no metastases. Surgery was followed by a structured rehabilitation program. The paper discusses aeromedical considerations for return to flying duties, regarding the na(..)

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2018-002

SEDATION IN MEDICAL RETRIEVAL – CHALLENGES AND FUTURE PRACTICE

Matthew Stewart

ABSTRACT Anaesthetic Awareness is the recall of events that occur during sedation and is a serious complication thought to occur in 0.1 to 0.2 % of the general surgical population. Sedation is an important tool used in medical retrieval, however its use in the aerospace environment is unique in its challenges for clinicians. Many of the patients carry risk factors for anaesthetic awareness and the mode of anaesthesia appropriate for the aerospace environment, total intravenous anaesthesia, also (..)

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2018-003

THE MIND CRAFT PROJECT – HEALTHY MINDS, HEALTHY PILOTS: A LITERATURE REVIEW ON MINDFULNESS MEDITATION PROGRAMS FOR COMMERCIAL AIRLINES PILOTS

Anita Vandyke

ABSTRACT Following the 2015 Germanwings crash, aviation agencies around the world have drawn up new policies relating to management and monitoring of the mental health of pilots. The Mind Craft Project is a literature review that provides an overview of current practices in mindfulness meditation programs in the aviation industry and propose new mind-body programs for pilots for implementation. Mental health is an important issue for the aviation industry as it directly impacts on the wellbeing (..)

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2018-004

SIMULATOR SICKNESS IN AIRFOX® DISORIENTATION SIMULATOR

Piush Renjhen

ABSTRACT Use of flight simulators has consistently increased over the years, a phenomenon known as simulator sickness upon simulator exposure (SE) has been of concern in aircrew. This Simulator Sickness (SS) has been largely considered to be a persistent limiting factor in continuing flying training. It is classically characterized by nausea, dizziness, postural instability, fatigue and general malaise. On cessation of SE, few symptoms may persist up to several hours and these may have an advers(..)

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2018-005

PREDIABETES AND THE NEED FOR CARDIOVASCULAR RISK ASSESSMENT IN AVIATION

Sanjiv Sharma/ Michael Drane

ABSTRACT Obesity, the disease of the twenty-first century, has a range of serious consequences to health. These are related in part to abnormal glucose levels, resulting in inflammatory and atherogenic response, hypertension and abnormal lipid profile. This increases the risk of cardiovascular disease significantly besides developing diabetes later. Hyperglycaemia is diagnosed with impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance or elevated glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The Royal Aust(..)

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2018-007

Editorial

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2018-006

CHALLENGES WITH AEROMEDICAL CERTIFICATION AFTER A ‘FUNNY TURN’

Priti Bhatt

Temporary loss of consciousness is unnerving for anyone, however the consequences in some professions can be devastating. This paper discusses the case of an Airline Transport Pilot License pilot who experienced a ‘funny turn’ resulting in loss of consciousness, with reference to the aeromedical decision-making process and a literature review.

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-001

COLOUR VISION TESTING: SCIENCE OR JUST BAD HABITS?

David Collis

Colour vision testing has been and remains a controversial subject in aviation. Despite this, colour testing methods have remained essentially unchanged in many years. This presentation reviews the relevance of colour testing methodologies to modern aviation and presents a review of recent literature relating to colour vision and how it is affected by various physiological states and changes occurring with various pathological conditions; and the relevance of these discoveries to current and fut(..)

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-002

CHALLENGES WITH RECERTIFICATION (OF EAGLE’S SYNDROME) – WHO HAS THE TIME?

Ian Cheng

A 50 year old male airline transport pilot licence (ATPL) pilot had been on a CASA audit requirement (CAR) for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma since 2010. As part of his ongoing haematological medical surveillance a neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis CT scan in 2014 reported an “incidental” abnormality in his neck. Perusal of the first several articles raised from a “Google” search of the abnormality linked it with possible stroke, carotid dissection and death. Would CASA now cancel or suspend this pilot’s (..)

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-003

CRYPTOGENIC STROKE IN AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT

Simon May

This case presentation discusses an airline captain who suffered a cerebrovascular event. Despite extensive investigation, no underlying cause or contributing factors could be identified. He went on to make a full recovery from his stroke, and after two years applied for renewal of his medical certificate. This presentation discusses the aeromedical certification process, including the restrictions and health surveillance measures put in place once he was recertified.

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-004

SUDDEN VISUAL DISTURBANCE IN AN AIRCREWMAN – INVESTIGATION AND DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

Wolfgang Seckler

This case report is about an Australian Army aircrewman who developed a sudden incapacitating visual disturbance. The case study explores the investigation pathway, differential diagnoses and the aeromedical implications. Although not all cases of visual disturbance have an underlying ophthalmological or neurological cause, and in fact might be quite benign, there is a possibility of a serious pathology of vascular or ischaemic aetiology affecting fitness to fly and recertification. History, sig(..)

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-005

A CASE OF CEREBRAL ANEURYSM IN FAST JET AIRCREW

Collette Richards

An asymptomatic 33 year old male Air Combat Officer was recommended to have a CT cerebral angiogram, based on a family history of a vascular anomaly. A 1-2mm aneurysm located in the cavernous portion of the internal carotid artery was discovered. Neurosurgical advice was obtained which indicated that the risk of haemorrhage from this aneurysm in this location is ‘practically zero’, and that there is no indication for any intervention. The fast jet environment does impose significant stress on th(..)

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-006

SUBARACHNOID HAEMORRHAGE AND INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSM IN A MILITARY AVIATOR: FACTORS DETERMINING AEROMEDICAL DISPOSITION

AM Gordon Cable

A Royal Australian Navy aviator was diagnosed with a subarachnoid haemorrhage after sudden onset of occipital headache, the result of a small aneurysm of the left posterior inferior cerebellar artery. The aneurysm was surgically wrapped and clipped through a posterior fossa craniotomy, and the patient made a full and uncomplicated recovery. Except in rare cases, subarachnoid haemorrahge and intracranial aneurysms are generally considered to be disqualifying for military aviation. Even with good (..)

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-007

GUIDELINES FOR TRAVELLING WITH PASSENGERS WITH A DISABILITY

Caron Jander/ Lisa Anne Martin

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-008

ESSENTIAL TRAVEL MEDICINE. ZUCKERMAN J, BRUNETTE G, LEGGAT P

Ian Cheng

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-009

THE FIELD GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING HUMAN ERROR. 3^RD ED. SIDNEY DEKKER.

Adrian Smith

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-010

HIGH G FLIGHT: PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS AND COUNTER-MEASURES. DAVID G NEWMAN.

Adrian Smith

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-011

PATIENT SAFETY CULTURE: THEORY, METHODS, AND APPLICATION. PATRICK WATERSON (ED).

Adrian Smith

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-012

THE LEADING EDGE: INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGY, AND PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA’S ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE. BY STEPHEN LANGFORD.

Adrian Smith

DOI: 10.21307/asam-2015-013