CareFlight’s Dr Philip Lo just happened to be in the right place at the time this morning, after a 25 yr old tourist suffered up to eight seizures, during a commercial flight from Melbourne to the Gold Coast.

“When I got to him on the tarmac he was unconscious but breathing.  It must have been quite confronting for the crew and other passengers,” said Dr Lo.

The 26-yr-old Taiwanese tourist is believed to have started fitting just 20 minutes into the two hour flight.

“With assistance from paramedics, I intubated and ventilated the patient in the back of the ambulance.  Once stabilised on life support, we transported him to Tweed Hospital in a serious but stable condition,” said Dr Lo.

Relatives travelling with the patient confirmed that the 25-yr-old wasn’t taking any medication for a diagnosed condition.

Dr Lo said the patient is very lucky to be alive.

“Having recurrent seizures on board a plane is a very dangerous situation and can be life-threatening.”

CareFlight doctors are regularly sent to call outs in the area, if the chopper isn’t on a job and QAS deem the patient to be quite serious.

At all times there is a QAS station wagon parked at the CareFlight hangar - allowing the paramedic rostered on the chopper to respond quickly to road jobs if possible.

ENDS

Media Contact Renee Buckingham 0421 381 023