Experience of medical assistance in the hosital of Plesetsk Cosmodrome under conditions of large patient load after explosion of a launch vehicle

Abstract

Military hospital of Plesetsk Cosmodrome was founded on 20 December 1958. The aims of the hospital were always connected with medical support of the cosmodrome, including emergency situations. On 18 March 1980 a Vostok-2M rocket exploded on its launch pad during a fuelling operation. Experience of medical assistance under conditions of large patient load showed the necessity of constant readiness to medical assistance to patients with combined pathology (burn injury, orthopedic trauma and thermochemical injury of the upper respiratory tract), expediency of compact patient accommodation along with the modern anaesthetic machine and readiness to frequent suction bronchoscopy.