世界における患者空輸の歴史: 軍事紛争との関連を中心に(前編)

Abstract

今から一世紀ほど前に誕生した航空機はすぐさま軍用機として戦場で使われ，二つの世界大戦を経て強力な兵器に進化した。航空機の登場による戦場の三次元化で戦闘はより激しさを増した。一方で，航空機の特性である迅速性が着目され傷病者の搬送手段と して試みられた。航空技術の進歩は航空機の大型化と高速化をもたらし，飛行中の機内で医療を行う専門家も養成され，多数の傷病者を地球規模で搬送できるまでに発達した。現代の患者空輸は，飛行環境を克服し，地上の病院の医療水準と同等の重症患者の全身管理や集中治療ができる技術力，すなわち各種搭載医療器材の開発や専門家の育成が求められている。

The aircraft, which was invented more than one hundred years ago, was shortly introduced in the battlefield for military purposes, and it has made remarkable progress as a weapon during World War II. Due to the appearance of the aircraft the battlefield was changed into the three-dimensions, led to more intense fighting. On the other hand, as an advantage of using aircrafts, these were used as a means of transporting patients. The advancement in aviation technology led to the upsizing and speedup of aircrafts. With such high-performance aircrafts and medical specialists working in the cabin during flight, it is now possible to transport a large number of patients across the globe. Modern aeromedical evacuation is required for high-level techniques like the evacuation of the victims of mass destruction weapons such as chemical or biological warfare and intensive care of critically severe patients.