Medical and logistical challenges of trauma care in a 12-day cave rescue: A case report

Abstract

Aim To describe the case of a patient with a severe head injury at a depth of about 1000 m from the cave entrance in Bavaria, Germany, who received pre-hospital trauma care for 12 days until evacuation. Results Search and rescue (SAR) operation involved 728 rescuers, 202 working directly in the cave (for a total of 9239 h) and 7 physicians from five countries. At 6-month follow-up, the patient had recovered completely and resumed his job. Conclusion This case highlights several pitfalls of trauma care in complex SAR operations, which often rely on expert knowledge and are not yet evidence-based practice.