CASE

Navigating Challenges: A Case Study of ICATT Air Ambulance Service's Critical Patient Transfers from
Baku, Azerbaijan to Bangalore, India.
Introduction:
This case study delves into the intricacies of three critical patient transfers conducted by ICATT Air
Ambulance Service from Baku, Azerbaijan to Bangalore Manipal Hospital. Faced with language
barriers, non-cooperative hospital staff, aviation limitations and logistical challenges the mission
exemplifies the dedication and adaptability of the medical team in ensuring the safe transfer of
Subramanya, Vikhyaat, and Kishan, each with unique orthopaedic injuries due to horrified road
accident.
Patient Information:
1. Subramanya, 23 years old, diagnosed with a right tibia fracture.
2. Vikhyaat, 26 years old, diagnosed with left tibia and fibula fractures.
3. Kishan, 25 years old, diagnosed with a left lower femur fracture above the knee and external facial
injuries.
Background:
Subramanya, Vikhyaat, and Kishan, aged 23, 26, and 25 respectively, sustained severe orthopaedic
injuries following separate incidents in Baku, Azerbaijan. With the local medical facilities ill-equipped
to manage their complex fractures, ICATT Air Ambulance Service was called upon to facilitate their
transfers to tertiary care centre in Bangalore Manipal Hospital, capable of providing specialized
orthopaedic care.
Challenges:
Language Barrier: The predominant use of Azerbaijani and Russian by local medical staff posed
communication challenges for the English-speaking ICATT team. The Medical Reports were written
in
local language which was another challenge for ICATT doctor to interpret the clinical condition of the
patients before arriving at the hospital in Baku. This lack of initial information posed an additional
challenge for the repatriation process, contrasting with other cases where the ICATT team receives
comprehensive medical data beforehand, allowing for better preparedness.
Non-Cooperative Hospital Environment: The fragmented information provided by the treating
doctors, coupled with resistance from the local hospital staff, impeded the process of gathering
comprehensive medical details and efficiently coordinating the patient transfers.
Logistical Complexity: Coordinating the transfers of three critically injured patients simultaneously,
along with managing ground transportation and airport protocols, presented logistical complexities.
All three patients required stretcher or the recliner which was a bigger constraint to accommodate in
one aircraft.