11/06/2026
A good reminder that medical repatriation is never just a flight: after handing the patient over to our flight medical crew in Rome, our ground ambulance team had enough time to explore the city, have dinner, and return home while Benjamin Lukas Pletikos and Denis were still crossing the Atlantic providing continuous care to the patient.
📍 Pick-up: Perugia, Italy
✈️ Departure: Rome Fiumicino (FCO)
🛬 Arrival: San Francisco (SFO), USA
📋 Diagnosis
C7 cervical spine fracture following surgery with tetraplegia.
⚠️ Challenge
The patient required a long-haul commercial stretcher transfer shortly after surgery, with a recent history of mechanical ventilation and a high risk of complications associated with prolonged immobility.
✅ How we solved it
Our team coordinated the complete bedside-to-bedside repatriation, including ground ambulance transport from Perugia to Rome, airline stretcher approvals, continuous medical monitoring, DVT prevention measures, pressure area management, and standby oxygen support.
Due to the patient’s recent respiratory history, a ventilator and full intubation kit were carried throughout the mission, ensuring readiness for any deterioration during the transatlantic flight.
🤝 Outcome
The patient was safely admitted to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, where care was transferred to the receiving medical team.
A sincere thank you to everyone involved for their trust, professionalism, and teamwork. Another mission made possible through great cooperation.
https://www.alpha-air-ambulance.com
