The Actual Situation of Marine Emergency Medical care system in Japan

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K21172
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: Mariko Sugita 東海大学, 医学部, 講師 (70758929)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 洋上救急 / 遠洋救急 / 長距離搬送 / 長時間搬送 / 固定翼機 / 回転翼機

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The characteristics of 100 cases of marine emergency medical care system in Japan at our own institution were clarified. The most common types of emergency patients in the distant sea area were stroke, trauma, gastrointestinal diseases, cardiac and renal-urinary diseases, and respiratory diseases, skin and soft tissue, and dehydration, in that order. Most of the patients were male, with an average age of 45 years, and more than 40% were foreign nationality. The average time from onset to doctor contact was 26.7 hours.
Because marine emergency medical care system are often dispatched to distant areas with limited patient information, they require long hours and sometimes intensive care with limited medical resources. In order to provide prompt and accurate medical care, it is important to share cases and improve dispatch arrangements.

Free Research Field

救命救急

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

洋上救急制度は世界に誇る日本独自のシステムである。傷病者、船舶の国籍のいかんを問わず出動し本邦周辺海域の医療福祉に大きく寄与している。遠洋海域の洋上救急では、現場到着まで長時間を要し、船舶、航空機の乗り継ぎなど多職種の人材と多大な費用がかかる。しかし救命救急医学分野の一部のみ限られた人材で行われているため、医療者の中でもあまり知られていないのが実情である。そのため出動した事例について学術的な報告は少ない。今回、遠洋海域の洋上救急症例についての特徴が明らかになったため、船員または船客の予防医学や洋上救急協力医療機関で周知する事でより一層的確な医療提供が可能となった。