Eidenbenz et al evaluated avalanche victims buried for an hour or longer. There is some hope of survival even after prolonged burial periods. The authors are from the University of Lausanne, Swiss Air Ambulance, and WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Switzerland.
Patient selection: avalanche victim, completely buried for >= 60 minutes
Survival rate: 19%
Predictors of poor outcome:
(1) longer burial time (20% at 5 hours; < 6% at 1,400 minutes = 23 hours)
(2) deeper burial depth (>= 1 meter)
(3) cardiac arrest with no return of spontaneous circulation in prehospital period
(4) obstructed airway
(5) frozen body
(6) obviously lethal trauma
Continuous or intermittent CPR should be started if the body is not frozen, if the airway is not completely obstructed AND if there is no obviously lethal trauma.
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