Diversion to dtw by an MD80 flight crew when a passenger has what was thought to be a case of acute ...

Attributes
ACN	542092
Time
Date	200203
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zob.artcc
State Reference	OH
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 6.5 flight attendant time total : 6.5 flight attendant time type : 50
ASRS Report	542092
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other other : cab 5
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Passenger asked flight attendant #1 to page a physician because he had severe abdominal pain that developed suddenly. A physician volunteered his medical service. Although his business card stated that he is an 'md,' he did not have his medical license card with him, so the captain had to call air carrier medical to get permission for the physician to open the enhanced medical kit and the FAA medical kit. The physician questioned the passenger and briefly palpated his abdomen. The passenger asked to use the lavatory and we helped him into the first class lavatory. After a few mins in the lavatory, we knocked on the door to make sure he was ok. He opened the lavatory door, but was in so much pain that the physician worked on him in the lavatory. He took his blood pressure and temperature. Passenger had been vomiting and was sweating. Passenger refused medication and iv catheter to start fluids. Physician informed me that neither medical kit had any kind of injectable pain relief medication in it, and that the passenger needed pain relief as he probably had acute appendicitis. Physician suggested we divert to closest city, and captain diverted to dtw where passenger was met by medical personnel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DIVERSION TO DTW BY AN MD80 FLC WHEN A PAX HAS WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE A CASE OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS NEAR DTW, MI.

Narrative: PAX ASKED FLT ATTENDANT #1 TO PAGE A PHYSICIAN BECAUSE HE HAD SEVERE ABDOMINAL PAIN THAT DEVELOPED SUDDENLY. A PHYSICIAN VOLUNTEERED HIS MEDICAL SVC. ALTHOUGH HIS BUSINESS CARD STATED THAT HE IS AN 'MD,' HE DID NOT HAVE HIS MEDICAL LICENSE CARD WITH HIM, SO THE CAPT HAD TO CALL ACR MEDICAL TO GET PERMISSION FOR THE PHYSICIAN TO OPEN THE ENHANCED MEDICAL KIT AND THE FAA MEDICAL KIT. THE PHYSICIAN QUESTIONED THE PAX AND BRIEFLY PALPATED HIS ABDOMEN. THE PAX ASKED TO USE THE LAVATORY AND WE HELPED HIM INTO THE FIRST CLASS LAVATORY. AFTER A FEW MINS IN THE LAVATORY, WE KNOCKED ON THE DOOR TO MAKE SURE HE WAS OK. HE OPENED THE LAVATORY DOOR, BUT WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN THAT THE PHYSICIAN WORKED ON HIM IN THE LAVATORY. HE TOOK HIS BLOOD PRESSURE AND TEMP. PAX HAD BEEN VOMITING AND WAS SWEATING. PAX REFUSED MEDICATION AND IV CATHETER TO START FLUIDS. PHYSICIAN INFORMED ME THAT NEITHER MEDICAL KIT HAD ANY KIND OF INJECTABLE PAIN RELIEF MEDICATION IN IT, AND THAT THE PAX NEEDED PAIN RELIEF AS HE PROBABLY HAD ACUTE APPENDICITIS. PHYSICIAN SUGGESTED WE DIVERT TO CLOSEST CITY, AND CAPT DIVERTED TO DTW WHERE PAX WAS MET BY MEDICAL PERSONNEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Diversion to dtw by an MD80 flight crew when a passenger has what was thought to be a case of acute appendicitis near dtw, mi.