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She is on 7L at rest and the transplant team is suggesting that it is too risky to transport her. We want to move closer to family and we already have a transplant facility lined up to take over her care. They are saying that her oxygen needs are too high. Is this true? Why can't she be flown? Her insurance is willing to pay for the transport but I am running into dead ends with the transplant team.

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Please remember that airplane cabin pressure is lower than ground level airpressure. A healthy passenger may develop O2 saturation of 90% with quick recovery after getting off the plane. If you have 90% O2 on the ground, you will be in trouble in flight. Someone who needs 1-2 L of O2 on the ground needs 4L on an airplane. The O2 regulator must have altitude compensation to work properly.
The other problem is blood gases expand at higher altitude. This can be quite painful. Small children will cry in pain from ear "popping" (gas expansion) when the plane ascends. Your patient is at risk for pain similar to "the bends" as gases expand in flight.
So ask the MD's to spell it out for you, ask for the whole scenario in flight.
It won't be pretty.
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Oxygen is an odorless, colorless, nonflammable gas stored in cylinders at high
pressure. It is an oxidizing gas and vigorously accelerates combustion. Keep away from oils or grease. Rescue personnel should be aware of the extreme fire hazards associated with oxygen-enriched (greater than 23%) atmospheres, and that self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) may be required.
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease retain carbon dioxide abnormally. If oxygen is administered to them, raising the oxygen concentration in the blood depresses their breathing and raises their retained carbon dioxide to a dangerous level.
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Laura, you will need to ask the transport companies as to why they would consider this patient as high risk.
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I haven't contacted air ambulance at this point. I am wondering what makes transporting a patient on oxygen risky?
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Have you contacted an *air ambulance* transport company to see if it would be possible for this patient to use that service?

If the answer is no, could the family move closer to you, instead?
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