B EYO N D BA S E A n i ntroduction to ex peditio n med i c i ne Column | Dr Mark Willis
T
he beautiful thing about an expedition is that each adventure is as unique as every person on it. No two adventures are the same; even if they were to be
in exactly the same place, at the same time of year, and with the same people, they
would still be different. I think this is one of the qualities that make expeditions
and adventure travel so exciting. Being able to look after others as an expedition doctor is only possible, though, if I can look after myself. This often means I need a comprehensive medical kit to treat the full range of illnesses and injuries that may
occur. But this is easier said than done. If each expedition is unique, then so are the
potential medical issues you’re going to face. So how do you create a medical kit for a
trip in a remote region, cut off from all medical infrastructure and supplies, when you can’t be sure what’s going to happen? Here are a few key points to consider.
First, you should consider the length of your expedition. The duration of your trip
or time to a medical facility is going to dictate the quantity of each medical supply you’re going to need. Going to be a maximum of two days away from a re-supply
point? Then there’s no need to carry hundreds of tablets if you can only have a maximum eight in a day. The same goes for bandages and dressings.
Second, you should consider the number of expedition members. Try to spread
group medical supplies amongst the members to spread the weight. Also, always consider the group number when deciding on quantities of medical supplies.
Third, you should consider the experience of expedition members. Taking intravenous
drugs to help with emergency situations can have a significant benefit, but only if
you have one or more expedition members who are confident and competent to use
them. The same goes for bandages and splints - don’t carry them if you’re not going to
use them.
Third, it’s important to tune your medical kit to the requirements of the specific
expedition. One of the most useful ways to construct a medical bag is to think about
the environments you’ll be in. Extreme environments each have their own challenges, but if you pack the right kit, then you can make the adventure that bit more safe and enjoyable. There are certain items of kit that make it into my bag no matter what
scenario I’m about to face. Years of expeditions in a wide range of environments have
proved that the items listed on the following pages are always useful to have at hand.
THIS PAGE: Looking up towards Cerro Fitz Roy from the Piedras Negras advance basecamp, high in the El Chalten massif in Argentine Patagonia. Expeditions in high altitude regions and cold environments require specific medical items, as do expeditions in jungles and tropical regions. DAVID PICKFORD
66
