Strokes on a plane? On-board facial paralysis wasn’t what it seemed

Alan J. Hunter from Oregon Health & Science University was a passenger on a recent airline flight when he responded to a flight attendant’s request for a “doctor on board.” The flight attendant suspected that a young male passenger was having a stroke, which would require an emergency landing. However, upon examination, the physician made an unusual diagnosis. The case report is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

A medical emergency during a commercial airline flight may require an unplanned landing, which disrupts travel plans and is very costly. Therefore, it is important to know the difference between a true medical emergency and something that does not require an unplanned aircraft landing.

Source: Read Full Article