Conference 7.286::space

959.0. "Shuttle Medical Supplies" by TROOA::SKLEIN (Nulli Secundus) Wed Jan 10 1996 14:41

Subject: shuttle medical supplies
Date: 22 Dec 1995 09:46:12 GMT
 
Can anyone tell me exactly what medical supplies the shuttle has on
board?
 
Do all missions have a designated medical specialist/doctor?
 
I am interested in finding out everything on board from first aid kits
to epi and defibrilators....
 
Thanks
 
Michael Shuken

Subject: Re: shuttle medical supplies
Date: 27 Dec 1995 16:11:42 GMT
 
The Shuttle Orbiter Medical System (SOMS) has provisions for medical care 
for minor illnesses and injuries as well as for stabilizing severely 
injured or ill personnel until return to Earth. 
For short duration flights, the SOMS-A kit will be provided. SOMS-A 
contains two kits, the Emergency Medical Kit (EMK) and the Medicationd 
and Bandage Kit (MBK). The EMK includes both diagnostic and therapeutic 
items. The MBK contains bandages and medications such as pills, topicals, 
and ointments. For longer duration flights and for flights where 
personnel are of questionable medical status, the SOMS-B will be 
provided. SOMS-B has a greater medical capability than SOMS-A and is used 
on most flights. The SOMS is packaged to allow quick access to emergency 
medication and instruments. The SOMS is stowed in a modular locker on the 
mid-deck. For orbital use, the kit may be attached with Velcro to any 
locker door. The SOMS-B weighs less than 18 LBS and has a volume of 1 
cubic foot. SOMS-B consists of SOMS-A (the Emergency Med. Kit and the 
Medications and Bandage Kit) plus a defibrillator (when flight 
certified), an intravenous fluids system, and a positive-pressure oxygen 
regulator device. Add-on kits to the SOMS are available to meet the 
requirements for more than 4 crew members and for flight lengths 
exceeding 7 days.
 
Peter Jarvis.........Physio-Control
 
From: parise@gelato.gsfc.nasa.gov (Ron Parise)
Subject: Re: shuttle medical supplies
Date: 22 Dec 1995 14:22:40 GMT
Organization: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center -- Greenbelt, Maryland USA
 
I can't possibly list everything but I can give you an idea. There are
two "kits" which are about 1ft x 1ft x 1ft in size. One is called the
Emergency Medical Kit (EMK) and the other is called the Medications
and Bandages Kit (MBK). The EMK contains everything you could possibly
need for just about any medical emergency. There are injectables such
as epinepherine, benadryl, atropine, amikacin and others. There are
supplies for dealing with wounds or performing diagnostics and even 
surgery. These include suture, forceps, tweezers, scalpels, heparin
locks, catheters, oral airways, otoscope, opthalmoscope, BP cuff, and
a small ECG system and much more. The MBK contains the more normal stuff
like bandaids, aspirin, ducolax, seldane, sudafed, motrin, lomotil, afrin
ace bandages, gauze, finger splints, cotton swabs, etc, etc, etc,.....
There is also a resuscitator, and some restraining straps to
keep the patient from floating around the cabin when you are trying to
work on them.
 
>Do all missions have a designated medical specialist/doctor?
 
All missions have 2 Crew Medical Officers (CMO). They are usually not
medical doctors (unless one happens to be assigned to the crew anyway).
The CMO's are given a crash course similar to what an Emergency Medical
Technician would receive. Their job is not to diagnose but to follow
the instructions of the flight surgeon on the ground. They are trained 
in giving injections, immobilizing injuries, doing trachiotomies, 
setting up the ECG, IV's, and doing other simple surgical procedures.
 
 
>I am interested in finding out everything on board from first aid kits
>to epi and defibrilators....
 
Again, I don't have time to type it **all** in!
Hope this helps though!
 
Ron Parise
STS-35,67

	Of note the last reply in the base note was written by Ron Parise,
	who flew as a payload specialist on the ASTRO 1 and 2 missions.

	Just goes to show you that the astronauts do read Usenet.

	Susan

It's a wonder Ron is still there since sci.space.shuttle got taken over by the
UFO freaks...

Burns

      >>where personnel are of questionable medical status
    
      I didn't think they would let anyone fly who was not medically 100%,
    and pretty fit as well. What do they mean by 'questionable medical status'?
    
    Ken