Whether hiking or ski touring, climbing or paragliding, the cause and course of an accident require different patterns of care whether in the field or hospital. Casualties or acutely ill people are often exposed to extreme weather conditions in the mountains for long periods of time and recovery and transport over rough terrain carries additional risks for rescuers and rescued persons. Our research aims to improve diagnosis and treatment in the mountains by providing evidence-based scientific data and recommendations. We focus on cold trauma, analysis and epidemiological recording of injuries and treatments of acute illnesses in the mountains.

Prolonged exposure to high altitude environments enables the human body’s adaptation to the reduced oxygen supply (hypoxia) and the altered climatic conditions. If the body is not sufficiently acclimatised, hypoxia can lead to typical altitude illnesses such as acute mountain sickness, pulmonary or cerebral edema, as well as hypothermia and frostbite due to exposure to cold. Our altitude medicine team researches the effects of altitude on the human body - in the field and in terraXcube, our Center for Extreme Climate Simulation. In particular, we investigate (patho-)physiological and psycho-social changes in healthy individuals and in individuals with preexisting diseases.