Wilderness Medicine Updates

Feb 12 2025 22 ep. 24 mins 11
Wilderness Medicine Updates Podcast artwork

The podcast for medical providers at the edges, bringing you digestible updates at the growing edge of Wilderness Medicine, Wilderness EMS, Search and Rescue, and more. 

  Health & Fitness
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Ep. 19 - Methoxyflurane, the Green Whistle, with Dr. Ross Hofmeyr

Feb 12 2025 45 mins  
Exploring Methoxyfluorane for Wilderness Pain Management with Dr. Ross Hofmeyr In this episode of Wilderness Medicine Updates, host Dr. Patrick Fink discusses the use of methoxyfluorane, an anesthetic gas for pain management in wilderness settings. Joined by guest Dr. Ross Hofmeyr, an anesthesiologist and wilderness medicine expert from South Africa, the episode delves into the his

Ep. 18 - Ketamine for Wilderness Pain Management with Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg

Jan 12 2025 45 mins  
Ketamine Use in Wilderness Pain Management: An Interview with Dr. Chris Van Tilburg In this episode of Wilderness Medicine Updates, host Patrick Fink discusses wilderness pain control with guest Dr. Chris Van Tilburg, focusing on the effective use of ketamine. The episode delves into how ketamine serves as a versatile medication for pain management, sedation, and intubation in emer

Ep. 17 - Resuscitation of the Buried Avalanche Victim, Part 2: The Rescue Algorithm

Nov 14 2024 42 mins  
In episode 17 of Wilderness Medicine Updates, host Patrick Fink delves into the ICAR resuscitation algorithm for buried avalanche victims. The episode reviews the physiology of avalanche burial and discusses critical determinants of survival, such as duration of burial, airway patency, signs of life, and lethal injuries. The Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS)

Ep. 16 - Medications for Alpine Hut Trips

Nov 05 2024 17 mins  
In this episode, I share an intense story of dealing with a suprise medical condition during a backcountry hut trip in Colorado. I walk through the diagnostic process, treatment options, and the importance of preparation for stays in remote places. Essential medications and tools needed for handling such emergencies in remote settings are discussed, along with advice on how to prep

Ep. 15 - Airway Patency in Avalanche Victims

Oct 16 2024 10 mins  
This episode, I look at a study from the Eurac research group on rates of airway occlusion in critically buried avalanche victims. Eurac looked at this critical feature of avalanche resuscitation triage as it both affects the way we treat buried avalanche victims, and it helps us to better understand whether technologies like the black diamond Avalung (retired) and the Safeback SBX

Ep. 14 - Spinal Immobilization Guidelines Update

Aug 06 2024 13 mins  
Today, we discuss updates in the WMS guidelines regarding the protection of patients with suspected spinal injuries. The Wilderness Medicine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines are all open-access, and you can find links to all of these guidelines on the right sidebar of this page. The education in this episode is based on the: Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelin

Ep. 13 - The High Route: Arguments for Avalanche Airbags

Apr 03 2024 48 mins  
This episode is a repost of an interview that was first posted on The High Route Podcast. Hosted by the editor of The-High-Route.com, Jason Albert, we discuss my background in wilderness medicine, and then move on to discuss the research that support my argument and assertion that the avalanche airbag backpack should be standard equipment for backcountry skiers, snowboarders, snowm

Ep. 12 - Resuscitation of the Buried Avalanche Victim, Part 1: Physiology

Jan 26 2024 18 mins  
This is part 1 of a multi-part series on the resuscitation of critically buried avalanche victims. In this episode we learn the physiology that we need to understand the resuscitation algorithm. To learn the necessary biology, we follow a rider as they are carried in an avalanche, subjected to traumatic injury, and are then buried and begin to asphyxiate and cool. The background of

Ep. 11 - After the Avalanche with Michael Buchanan

Nov 17 2023 53 mins  
Episode 11 brings you my conversation with Michael Buchanan is a flight paramedic and senior firefighter / paramedic at the West Valley City Fire Department. He is the founder and operation of Mountain Medical Academy, a passion-driven backcountry medical care education company. We discuss the medical care of avalanche victims which Michael has made accessible to recreational skier

Ep. 10 - Tourniquets from Space Blankets

Oct 22 2023 6 mins  
In this episode, I discuss the article "Arterial Occlusion Effectiveness of Space Blanket-Improvised Tourniquets for the Remote Setting". In this short blast I get into the meat of this article, and though the authors would tell you that space blankets aren't ready for primetime, I have some thoughts on the matter. In the podcast, I mistakenly say that you need to be a WMS member t