Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) to prevent drowning

BACKGROUND

Drowning literature have highlighted the submersion time as the most powerful predictor in assessing the prognosis. Reducing the time taken to provide a flotation device and prevent submersion appears of paramount importance. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can provide the location of the swimmer and a flotation device.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this simulation study was to evaluate the efficiency of a UAV in providing a flotation device in different sea conditions, and to compare the times taken by rescue operations with and without a UAV (standard vs UAV intervention). Several comparisons were made using professional lifeguards acting as simulated victims. A specifically-shaped UAV was used to allow us to drop an inflatable life buoy into the water.

RESULTS

During the summer of 2017, 28 tests were performed. UAV use was associated with a reduction of time it took to provide a flotation device to the simulated victim compared with standard rescue operations (p < 0.001 for all measurements) and the time was reduced even further in moderate (81 ± 39 vs 179 ± 78 s; p < 0.001) and rough sea conditions (99 ± 34 vs 198 ± 130 s; p < 0.001). The times taken for UAV to locate the simulated victim, identify them and drop the life buoy were not altered by the weather conditions.

CONCLUSION

UAV can deliver a flotation device to a swimmer safely and quickly. The addition of a UAV in rescue operations could improve the quality and speed of first aid while keeping lifeguards away from dangerous sea conditions.

[Primary pulmonary hypertension associated with HTLV-I retrovirus infection at the adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma stage]

INTRODUCTION

Primary pulmonary hypertension is a rare condition characterized by sustained elevation of pulmonary artery pressure without demonstrable cause. Risk factors such as HIV infection are associated with this disease. HTLV-1 is a retrovirus endemic in Japan and in the Caribbean and an adult T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma is the most severe complication induced.

OBSERVATION

A 59 Year-old West Indian woman who had an HTLV-1 retrovirus infection complicated by adult T-cell leukaemia lymphoma developed primary pulmonary hypertension.

COMMENT

The link between HIV infection and primary pulmonary hypertension is already known. The hypothesis of a link with an other retrovirus has to be confirmed by furthers studies.