{"id":39599,"date":"2025-11-11T15:25:51","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T14:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cosinuss.com\/?p=39599"},"modified":"2025-11-11T15:27:25","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T14:27:25","slug":"interview-medical-care-at-extreme-sporting-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cosinuss.com\/en\/2025\/11\/11\/interview-medical-care-at-extreme-sporting-events\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview: Medical care at extreme sporting events"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe\u2019ve found reliable vital signs monitoring for extreme environments\u201d<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div>
<\/div>

Providing medical care in the mountains poses a number of challenges, particularly due to the difficult terrain and extreme weather conditions. Rescue personnel therefore have to cope with several difficulties. Regular and specialized training in mountain rescue is essential for a successful rescue, as is the right equipment for monitoring patients. We spoke about these challenges with Marta Baggiani, anesthesiologist and intensivist, and Marcello Mora, paramedic and mountain rescue technician. Both are very experienced in mountain rescue and provided medical care for participants at this year’s Monte Rosa SkyMarathon. There, they had the opportunity to use the cosinuss\u00b0 patient monitoring technology. In the interview, they shared their experiences with the new technology and explained why the sensor is particularly well suited for use in this demanding terrain – not only for extreme sporting events.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>

About the interview partners:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Marta Baggiani<\/strong> currently works as an anesthesiologist and intensivist in the Neurocritical Care Unit in Monza, Italy. She specialized in Mountain Emergency Medicine through the inter-university diploma program at the University of Grenoble, and each year she serves as a Ski Rescue Physician with Monterosa Ski, combining her medical profession with her passion for the mountains.<\/p>\n

Marcello Mora<\/strong> is a paramedic working in the ambulance service in Switzerland. He was born and raised in Italy, where he is currently a mountain rescue technician and a member of the Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico (CNSAS). He also holds a specialization in canyoning rescue, is a canyoning instructor, and a RESCUE3 Europe whitewater rescue technician.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Besides others, you two provided medical support at this year\u2019s Monte Rosa SkyMarathon: What tasks were you responsible for at this extreme sporting event?<\/h3><\/div>

Marcello Mora:<\/strong> At the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon, my work was basically divided into two phases. The first phase was the preparation: I organized the medical rescue strategy together with the race director, who is a mountain guide and responsible for the technical rescue. That also included planning the equipment and positioning the medical staff along the route and at the rescue stations.
\nThe second phase was during the race itself. I was responsible for the rescue station at Colle del Lys at 4,150 meters \u2013 the last medical rescue point before the summit. I have the advantage of being both a paramedic and a mountain rescue technician. This allows me to coordinate medical and technical services more effectively, because I understand the needs of both sides and try to bring them together as best as I can.<\/p>\n

Marta Baggiani:<\/strong> My role was specifically medical rescue. I was one of the doctors on duty during the competition. There were several medical spots along the race route, staffed by doctors, paramedics, or nurses. This year, I worked as a doctor in the helicopter, responsible for evacuating people who needed to be rescued very quickly. So I moved around and helped wherever I was needed. Marcello organized all the medical spots, and we were always in contact to make sure help was sent exactly where it was required. That was my specific role. I think good cooperation and communication are really crucial in these situations.<\/p>\n<\/div>

In what ways do the extreme altitude and terrain of the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon present challenges for athletes and medical teams?<\/h3><\/div>

Marta Baggiani:<\/strong> The Monte Rosa SkyMarathon is really unique because it combines altitude, extreme weather, and very technical terrain. For the athletes, this means they are exposed not only to fatigue and lack of oxygen, but also to one of the main dangers of the mountain: hypothermia. Even in summer, the weather can change within minutes.
\nWhen athletes are exhausted, they lose much of their ability to regulate body temperature, which increases the risk. For us, the medical teams, the biggest challenge is patient evacuation. Because of the terrain and the weather, evacuations are often complicated and frequently delayed. That\u2019s why we need to be ready to stabilize athletes on the spot and keep them safe until evacuation becomes possible. I think this is the main challenge of the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon.<\/p>\n<\/div>

As medical personnel, do you have to undergo special training before such an extreme sporting event?<\/h3><\/div>

Marta Baggiani:<\/strong> Yes, I think you definitely need to exercise. On the one hand, you have to train yourself physically \u2013 by going to the mountains, not only for pleasure but also to be prepared for the same weather conditions the athletes face. On the other hand, you need to train specifically for working in this kind of terrain. We take courses to maintain and improve our ability to work in these conditions and as part of a team. It\u2019s completely different from working in a hospital, or even in other out-of-hospital environments. The mountains are very particular. Personally, I took a specialized course \u2013 actually a master\u2019s program in France \u2013 designed for doctors who want to work in mountain environments. It provides knowledge on how to work in a team and how to treat patients in such challenging terrain. Of course, not all mountains are the same. Monte Rosa, for example, involves a glacier, which is very different from working in river areas or other types of terrain. So you really need to train for each specific environment where you might be working.<\/p>\n

Marcello Mora:<\/strong> Rescuers and medical teams themselves are also affected by fatigue and exhaustion in this environment, not only the patients. We\u2019re human beings too, and we are subject to altitude and lack of oxygen. That makes it much harder to carry out a rescue, because sometimes we can\u2019t make decisions as clearly as we would in other environments.<\/p>\n<\/div>

How do you prepare for situations in an environment with so many participants, like the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon?<\/h3><\/div>

Marcello Mora:<\/strong> The Monte Rosa SkyMarathon is quite a big event, considering that it takes place in particularly difficult terrain. We had at least 150 pairs of athletes, since the race is run in teams of two. That means about 300 athletes on the glacier. And this year, the organizers also added another race, the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon Summit, a vertical race with 3,000 meters of elevation gain, which had more than 100 participants.
\nAs I mentioned before, preparation for these kinds of events is crucial and starts months in advance. We\u2019ve been providing rescue services for this race for several years now, so our strategy is well established. Still, every edition has its own particularities \u2013 depending on the route, the weather, and the number of participants. We set up three rescue stations along the route. The two highest were on the glacier. They were mobile structures, transported to the site by helicopter a few days before the race, and equipped with everything needed to handle almost any medical emergency. Mountain rescue doctors, nurses, and technicians were stationed along the route as well, to provide rapid assistance anywhere on the course, which is nearly 20 kilometers long. Evacuation, of course, had to be carried out by helicopter. In addition to the official emergency service helicopter, there was also a private helicopter with an emergency doctor on board, dedicated solely to the race. With two helicopters working together, we could reach and evacuate patients from virtually any point along the course.<\/p>\n<\/div>

What are the most common medical issues you typically encounter during events like the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon, and what steps do you take to deal with them?<\/h3><\/div>

Marta Baggiani:<\/strong> As we already mentioned, fatigue and hypothermia are big issues. But there are also other problems we see. Altitude sickness, for example, can affect not only the athletes but also members of the staff working at the event. Then there are injuries from falls, which are quite common because the terrain is very difficult. The team does its best to make the route as safe as possible, but we\u2019re on a glacier \u2013 there are no real paths \u2013 so slips and falls can happen.
\nBut probably the most dangerous condition, because it develops quickly, is hypothermia. It\u2019s not necessarily difficult to treat in medical terms \u2013 we recognize it, which in this terrain is not always easy, and then we warm the athletes, insulate them, give warm fluids if possible, and monitor them closely. The real challenge is evacuation. Because of the terrain and the weather, it can take a long time. Even though we have helicopters, sometimes they can\u2019t reach the patient \u2013 for example, in strong winds or bad weather. Then we have to find other ways to evacuate, which can take hours. So we always need not just a plan A, but also plans B, C, D, and so on. That\u2019s what makes mountain rescue so challenging \u2013 but also so interesting for us.<\/p>\n

Marcello Mora:<\/strong> Yes, for example, I remember an evacuation where the last participants arrived two hours after everyone else. The weather was terrible \u2013 it was snowing, and one athlete was completely freezing. We couldn\u2019t use the helicopter, so we had to ski down with him and then continue on foot to get him to a place where evacuation was possible. It wasn\u2019t easy \u2013 and certainly not fun \u2013 but it shows the reality of rescue in these conditions.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"\"<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"\"<\/a><\/div><\/div>
\"\"<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Medical Care at Monte Rosa SkyMarathon 2025 (Photo credit: Marcello Mora)<\/p>\n<\/div>

How did you first hear of the cosinuss\u00b0 patient monitoring system and what was the decisive factor in testing the technology for the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon?<\/h3><\/div>

Marcello Mora:<\/strong> Marta and I first learned about cosinuss\u00b0 at a medical conference in Italy last March that focused on rescue in difficult environments. That\u2019s where we met the team and their sensors. What immediately convinced us to test the system was the possibility of obtaining accurate vital sign measurements that are minimally affected by environmental conditions. In rescue situations, we\u2019ve often observed that finger pulse oximeters are completely unreliable in the cold, because of low temperatures and vasoconstriction in the extremities. Even thermometers \u2013 especially classic infrared ones \u2013 can be inaccurate, as they are strongly influenced by external temperatures. And as I mentioned earlier, the greatest challenge is always the environment. In high mountain rescue, whether during the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon or other missions, altitude and weather conditions are key issues we always have to consider. In the past, this often meant that we couldn\u2019t reliably monitor patients because we simply didn\u2019t have sensors suitable for such an environment. With cosinuss\u00b0, we\u2019ve found a solution: a device that provides reliable vital signs monitoring, unaffected by cold, wind, or altitude. That\u2019s a huge advantage for us. We also had the chance to test the sensor beforehand in calm and warm conditions \u2013 even while chewing, talking, and moving \u2013 and it still performed reliably enough. So for us, this technology is a great plus.<\/p>\n<\/div>

What benefits do you think cosinuss\u00b0 provides to medical care during sports events?<\/h3><\/div>

Marta Baggiani:<\/strong> We both clearly saw the advantages that cosinuss\u00b0 offers in monitoring, which is why we decided to test it in a real environment. Probably the most important aspect, as Marcello already mentioned, is that the device is very small, non-invasive, and simple to apply. This means not only doctors can use it, but also volunteers, which is very helpful if the medical team is busy with other tasks. It\u2019s also easy to apply in difficult conditions. We have to remember that on the glacier, our patients are always covered, and we can\u2019t simply uncover them completely as we would in a hospital setting. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so valuable to have real-time monitoring: in the mountains, it\u2019s much harder to detect changes in a patient\u2019s condition just by observation.
\nAnother big advantage is that the system is wireless. It doesn\u2019t interfere with the movement of athletes during evacuation. We simply apply the sensor, and then we can monitor the patient on a phone or tablet while they\u2019re being transported. This allows us to keep continuous, real-time information, act before a situation becomes critical, and always keep a close eye on the patient. And that, I think, is crucial for medical staff in these environments.<\/p>\n<\/div>

How did you use cosinuss\u00b0 technology during the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon, and how did it help you to support the athletes?<\/h3><\/div>

Marcello Mora:<\/strong> During the last edition of the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon, we were fortunate not to have any major emergencies. Still, we had to assist several athletes suffering from exhaustion, hypothermia, cold-related injuries, and some minor trauma. For every rescued athlete \u2013 even in less severe cases \u2013 we applied a cosinuss\u00b0 sensor in the ear canal. This allowed us both to train with the device and to obtain reliable vital signs, which is usually very difficult in such an environment. At high altitude, it\u2019s normal from a physiological point of view to see reduced oxygen saturation values. What impressed me with the cosinuss\u00b0 sensor was that the readings were consistently reliable, supported by a clear plethysmographic wave, a correct perfusion index, and a continuous quality index. Normally, if I see an oxygen saturation of 75%, I have to wonder: is this a true value, or is it distorted by vasoconstriction, cold, or environmental factors? With this sensor, I can trust the data and know that the vital signs are reliable at every moment. For us, that is extremely important.<\/p>\n

Marta Baggiani:<\/strong> Another interesting observation we made was about the new rescue stations \u2013 the mobile huts that are transported by helicopter to the glacier. This year, they were closed structures with doors, which made them much warmer than the years before. They turned out to be excellent for rewarming hypothermic patients. When we applied the cosinuss\u00b0 sensor and then left the patient inside for a while, we could actually watch the temperature rise in real time. That was very reassuring for us. It showed not only that the shelters were effective, but also that the sensor confirmed our treatment was working. That combination was really valuable.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Have you used the sensor in scenarios other than sports events? If so, where was that and what was your experience with it?<\/h3><\/div>

Marcello Mora:<\/strong> Yes, I had the opportunity to use the cosinuss\u00b0 sensor in a real rescue operation this summer, in a water canyon. A canyoneer had severely fractured his lower leg after a dive. We performed the medical rescue directly in the canyon, first moving the patient to a safe and dry place, then stabilizing the fracture and administering painkillers before evacuation. Later, with the arrival of a second team, we extracted the patient vertically from the canyon up into the woods, where he was finally evacuated by helicopter.
\nThe entire rescue took about three hours. From the moment the patient was stabilized, I applied the cosinuss\u00b0 sensor and was able to continuously record vital signs on my phone \u2013 even while the patient was secured inside a watertight stretcher. The sensor proved essential in this situation: the water temperature was only 7\u20138 \u00b0C, and the patient\u2019s extremities were completely cold and bluish. No finger pulse oximeter would have given reliable readings under those conditions. Infrared thermometers also don\u2019t work well, especially when the patient has water in the ear canal. With cosinuss\u00b0, however, I was able to obtain reliable vital signs and accurate temperature readings throughout the entire rescue.<\/p>\n

Marta Baggiani:<\/strong> This is exactly where the cosinuss\u00b0 sensor shows its value. In difficult rescues, like canyoning for example, even if you have a conventional monitor, it\u2019s usually impossible to keep it on the patient \u2013 it\u2019s too heavy, it can get lost, or you simply can\u2019t see it during evacuation. With cosinuss\u00b0, that problem doesn\u2019t exist, because you can always monitor the patient via your phone.
\nI also tested the sensor during a long training exercise on a glacier. The scenario simulated rescuing two victims at an altitude of 3,000 to 3,600 meters, and the whole operation lasted about five hours. I applied the sensor to both \u201cvictims,\u201d and the battery lasted perfectly from beginning to end. Even though it was only an exercise and the patients weren\u2019t really sick, we could still observe parameters like body temperature \u2013 which is important in a glacier environment where hypothermia is always a risk. What I particularly appreciated was that throughout the exercise I could continuously monitor the data in real time. And I found myself thinking: if these had been real patients, this information would have been incredibly valuable to ensure their safety during the entire rescue.<\/p>\n<\/div>

How do you see the future role of the cosinuss\u00b0 technology in your field of practice?<\/h3><\/div>

Marta Baggiani:<\/strong> Since the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon takes place every year, I\u2019m sure we will continue to use the sensor there. I think it\u2019s important to keep testing it in real environments, because that way we can discover aspects that might be improved, or situations where it\u2019s particularly valuable.
\nEven beyond mountain rescue, I see potential applications in hospitals. For example, when patients are transported from intensive care to a CT scan, it would be much easier to use a small wireless monitor instead of moving them together with a large bedside device. So yes, it could also be useful inside hospitals, even though here we are mainly talking about out-of-hospital scenarios.
\nAnd looking further ahead, I think there are many possible applications. For instance, in very long competitions that last several days, it would be great to monitor athletes continuously, even when they are spread out over remote areas that are difficult to access. This way, we could detect problems early and intervene before a situation becomes critical.
\nI will also bring the sensor to the Winter Mountain Rescue Course, a large training event in the Alps that takes place every March. It\u2019s four days of simulations, lectures, and field exercises, where mountain rescue and avalanche rescue operators train under realistic conditions. We simulate avalanche burials by digging snow caves where \u201cpatients\u201d stay for a long time in the cold. I think it would be very interesting to use the cosinuss\u00b0 sensor there, because continuous monitoring in such scenarios could provide invaluable data.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Thank you very much for the interesting conversation!<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n
Share this post! \/ Teile diesen Beitrag!<\/div>