Placing an IV at 35,000 Feet
Photo courtesy of Cherie Hill
"Is there a doctor on board?" The call went out over the plane's intercom system after an elderly passenger passed out mid-flight.
Cherie Hill, distinguished physician and associate professor of gynecology and obstetrics at Emory School of Medicine, was on the flight, traveling from Atlanta to San Francisco, when the 76-year-old man became nearly unresponsive.
The patient, recently diagnosed with liver cancer, had suddenly experienced sharp pains in his chest.
A retired veteran physician initially stepped up to help, and after several minutes he still hadn't left the passenger's side.
Hill, just three rows back, saw the passenger's hand suddenly go limp and his head tilt to the side.
She got up to help and two other maternal and fetal medicine doctors joined her.
The physicians worked together to place an IV in the passenger — all while the plane was flying at 35,000 feet.
They were able to give him a liter of fluids as well as oxygen, with the help of other passengers on board.
"The passengers on the flight were very selfless and willing to help us out with getting supplies," Hill says. "One person even offered their own glucose meter, as the airline kit did not include one. It was refreshing — everyone was in it together and selflessly banded together as a community of strangers to help someone in need."
Photo courtesy of Cherie Hill
The situation was intense, says Hill. When physicians step forward to help a fellow passenger on a plane, they are working in an unknown environment with an unknown team.
But this medical emergency was well handled: the team was able to resuscitate the patient.
After the patient became conscious and the flight landed, his daughter met him with Emergency Medical Services and accompanied him to a hospital, where he underwent a procedure.
Had Hill and others not been able to help, the plane might have had to return to Atlanta or stop at a nearby airport, delaying care and reunification with his family.
Hill is glad everyone on the flight was able to work together to get the patient safely to San Francisco.
"If we keep calm, respect one another, and think about how we can help people together, many more communities can be built like the one on the plane," Hill says. "Hopefully this can inspire others to do the same."
