Pre-Hospital Hypothermia: Italy’s Nationwide HEMS Study with Luca Carenzo & Laura Leuci

In this episode, Sarah Spelsberg speaks with Luca Carenzo and Laura Leuci from Humanitas University in Milan about their research into the pre-hospital management of accidental hypothermia across Italy’s helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS).

Their nationwide survey, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, offers a detailed look at how hypothermia is managed before hospital arrival—revealing system-wide gaps, training opportunities, and practical steps for improving patient outcomes.

In this episode:

• How a medical student led a nationwide HEMS research project

• Why hypothermia management must start before hospital arrival

• The biggest equipment and training gaps identified

• The role of the “burrito wrap” in field insulation

• How to balance standardisation with adaptability

• Why education, simulation, and consistent training are key to progress

Read the full open-access paper:
Pre-Hospital Management of Accidental Hypothermia: A Nationwide Survey Among Italian HEMS
Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine (2025)