Page 85 - JSOM Summer 2023

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TABLE 1 Articles Identified in this Review Listed in Chronological et al. A total of 493 medical records of offshore installation
Order by Year of Study workers in the oil and gas industry from the United Kingdom
Title Population Year of Study were reviewed. Dental pathology was discovered to be a com-
Medical evacuations from offshore UK Civilian 1976–1984 mon trend among this population. Records indicated that
structures 4.9% of the operator’s employees and 8.1% of contractors
A survey of US Navy medical US Military 1982–1983 were medically evacuated for dental reasons. Furthermore, re-
communications and evacuations cords spanning from June 1983 to December 1985 indicated
at sea that a total of 34 evacuations occurred due to dental problems,
A survey of the dental health of the UK Civilian 1990 which made up 5.3% of total medical evacuations.
workers on two groups of offshore
installations Another study was titled “Dental problems in the offshore oil
Dental events during periods of US Military 1991–1999 and gas industry: A review” by Duffy et al. Medical evac-
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isolation in the US submarine force uation records of offshore instillation workers at Shell UK
Dental problems in the offshore oil UK Civilian 1996 Exploration and Production (Shell Expro) from 1988–1994
and gas industry: a review were reviewed. The data showed a similar trend of frequently
Ten years of war: A characterization US Military 2001–2011
of craniomaxillofacial injuries occurring dental pathology among offshore oil and gas per-
incurred during operations Enduring sonnel leading to medical evacuations – in 1988, 11 out of a
Freedom and Iraqi Freedom total of 145 medical evacuations were dental related (7.6%).
Medical incidents and evacuations on US Civilian 2002–2005 In 1989, 52 out of 363 total evacuations were dental related
wilderness expeditions (14.3%), in 1990, 68 evacuations out of 547 total evacuations
Air medical evacuations of Soldiers US Military 2003–2004 were dental related (12.4%), in 1991, 63 evacuations out of a
for oral-facial disease and injuries total of 475 evacuations were dental related (13.3%), in 1992,
Air medical evacuations of Soldiers US Military 2005 66 evacuations out of a total of 452 evacuations were den-
for oral-facial disease and injuries tal related (14.6%), in 1993, 45 evacuations out of a total of
Air medical evacuations of Soldiers US Military 2006 419 evacuations were dental related (10.7%), and in 1994,
for oral-facial disease and injuries 52 evacuations out of a total of 424 occurring medical evac-
Analysis of the causes of medical Polish 2010–2011 uations were dental related (12.2%). The Duffy et al. study
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evacuation of injured and sick Military
soldiers of the Polish Military is the only civilian study that broke down the types of dental
Contingent in the Islamic State emergencies. Duffy et al. noted that 57% of the medical evacu-
of Afghanistan taking part in ations due to DE were due to issues with caries (“tooth decay”
International Security Assistance (38%), “failed restorations” (15%) & “new restorations/post-
Force operations treatment problems” (4%)). “Gum disease”/“Infections” (a
Medical evacuations in the oil International 2008–2012 single category) accounted for 35% and “trauma” accounted
and gas industry: A retrospective Civilian for 8% of DE medical evacuations.
review with implications for future
evacuation and preventative strategies
Medical evacuation of French forces French 2013 A study titled “Medical incidents and evacuations on wilder-
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for dental emergencies: Operation Military ness expeditions” by McIntosh et al. described medical emer-
Serval gencies occurring in wilderness expeditions. This retrospective
Medical evacuations and work UK Civilian 2014–2015 study during 2002–2005 reported medical emergencies oc-
absences in offshore oil and gas curring in participants and staff at the National Leadership
industry personnel Outdoor School based in Lander, Wyoming. A total of 996
medical incidents/emergencies took place during this time
Results period among the population, which were categorized as ill-
Studies reporting dental-related evacuations are few. Fourteen ness or injury related. Of the total medical emergencies, 512
studies were identified altogether, which included the number required medical evacuations. A total of 27 (5.3%) medical
of medical evacuations reported and the reasons for needing evacuations were dental related. Dental related MEDEVACs
evacuation. Eight of these studies were centered on medical were cited as the third most common reason for MEDEVACs
evacuations occurring in military populations, and six studies among the injury categories.
citing medical evacuations occurring in civilian populations.
The next study was titled “Medical evacuations in the oil and
Medical Evacuations Occurring in Civilian Populations gas industry: a retrospective review with implications for fu-
The first of the civilian studies that was identified was titled ture evacuation and preventative strategies” by Toner et al.
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“Medical evacuations from offshore structures” by Norman Several different operations’ records were reviewed, which
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et al. This was a retrospective review that covered the years included international offshore Shell workers in the oil and
1976–1984. The population of interest was offshore instal- gas field, as well as data from operations in UK, Russia, and
lation workers in the oil and gas industry operating in the Malaysia from 2008–2012. Dental issues in this study were
United Kingdom. It was reported that during this study period not listed as a frequent category/reason for medical evacua-
that 2,162 total medical evacuations were required. The most tions, and the only medical evacuations to have occurred due
common cause for medical evacuation was digestive issues and to dental reasons were among the workers in Malaysia – 10
half of “digestive issue” medical evacuations were dental re- evacuations out of a total of 130 (7.7%).
lated (115 cases or 5.3% of total such evacuations).
The last civilian study identified was titled “Medical evac-
The next study was titled “A survey of the dental health of the uations and work absences in offshore oil and gas industry
workers on two groups of offshore installations,” by Ballantine personnel” by Smith et al. In this study conducted during a
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Dental and Oral-Maxillofacial Medical Evacuations | 83