Air Ambulance & Autonomous Trauma Care: Extending the Golden Hour
An autonomous system is revolutionizing trauma care, extending the critical “golden hour” for patients with internal bleeding. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have developed a system that can nearly quadruple the time available to save lives.The ReFit algorithm, a primary_keyword, autonomously administers fluids and medication, and extends the window for effective treatment, enhancing secondary_keyword options for patients in remote locations and mass casualty events. This technology was tested on pigs, showing remarkable results during simulated emergency transport. The system, fitting in a backpack, is designed to be delivered by drone.News directory 3 highlights the potential of this perhaps life-saving innovation. Discover what’s next in this groundbreaking approach to trauma care.
Autonomous System Extends ‘Golden Hour’ for Trauma Care
Updated June 13, 2025
A new autonomous system can nearly quadruple the “golden hour” for saving the lives of trauma patients with internal bleeding, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.The system, funded by the U.S. department of Defense, could revolutionize trauma care in remote locations and mass casualty events.
The key component is the Resuscitation based on Functional Hemodynamic Monitoring (ReFit) algorithm.This minimally invasive, closed-loop system autonomously administers intravenous fluids, blood, and drugs to maintain vital functions. The system was tested on pigs with traumatic liver injuries, keeping them alive for three to five hours during simulated emergency transport by ground and air.
The Trauma care in a Rucksack (TRACIR) system, incorporating refit, is designed to fit in a backpack and be delivered by drone. Computer scientists from Carnegie Mellon University assisted in the project.
Researchers surgically lacerated the livers of four anesthetized pigs, allowing them to hemorrhage for 30 minutes before resuscitation with ReFit. Two pigs were transported by ambulance and helicopter around western pennsylvania. The other two were transported first by ground ambulance to Allegheny County Airport, then by helicopter.Throughout the transport, the ReFit system maintained the pigs’ vital functions without human intervention, except for monitoring by a doctor to ensure they remained anesthetized and comfortable.
“for the first time in the history of medicine, we took an animal in a critical state onto a helicopter and autonomously brought it back healthier than when it was placed in emergency transport hours earlier,” said Dr. Michael R. Pinsky, professor of critical care medicine, bioengineering and clinical and translational medicine at Pitt and the project’s scientific lead.”The implications this has for treating people in the field with trauma are phenomenal.”
The team confirmed that the computer-driven algorithm could resuscitate the animals for several hours without any human involvement.
“By keeping these animals with a lethal injury alive for up to five hours with a computer driving the resuscitation, you can see how that extends the golden hour,” said Dr. Ronald Poropatich, director of the Center for Military Medicine Research and professor of medicine at Pitt.
What’s next
The research team plans to test the ReFit system by transporting injured animals via unmanned aerial drones, further enhancing its effectiveness in rescuing individuals from difficult-to-reach areas, such as battlefields or mountainsides.This could considerably improve trauma care and survival rates in austere environments.