ÖAMTC Air Rescue: Critical Care Transport from Ljubljana

A 35-year-old Austrian woman was flown to Graz after suffering a sudden brain hemorrhage.

On Wednesday, August 6, a 35-year-old Austrian woman was transferred from the University Medical Center Ljubljana to the neurosurgery department at Graz Regional Hospital aboard the ÖAMTC Air Rescue Service’s specially equipped intensive care transport helicopter (ITH) following a spontaneous cerebral hemorrhage.

Unlike regular ÖAMTC emergency medical helicopters, the intensive care transport helicopter is equipped with advanced medical equipment that enables continuous monitoring and treatment even during flight. The equipment on board is always tailored to the needs of the individual patient. In this particular mission, for example, the team was able not only to provide ventilation via intubation but also to continuously monitor intracranial pressure—a critical factor in neurological emergencies.

Operations like this one clearly demonstrate that saving lives is a team effort. The successful transport was only possible thanks to the seamless coordination of the entire crew on board—consisting of the pilot, flight paramedic, and emergency physician—as well as all the agencies involved. From Tyrol Air Ambulance, which arranged the transport, to the teams at the hospital in Ljubljana and the colleagues at LKH Graz, everyone worked together seamlessly.