Life-saving medicine: Siaarti focuses on emergency medicine and hyperbaric oxygen.

Emergencies and hyperbaric oxygen: new frontiers in lifesaving medicine. This was the topic of discussion on the third and final day of Icare 2025, the National Congress of the Italian Society of Anesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation, and Intensive Care (SIAARTI), where two sessions were dedicated to "New Frontiers in the Out-of-Hospital Setting" and "Hyperbaric Emergencies." A clear picture emerged: innovations in pre-hospital management, the strengthening of healthcare information systems, and the appropriate use of hyperbaric oxygen can make the difference between life and death, between permanent disability and full recovery.

The panel dedicated to out-of-hospital emergencies, moderated by Davide Colombo, head of the SIAARTI Critical Medicine and Emergency Department, discussed the latest innovations in pediatric multiple trauma management, emergency analgesic sedation, and the applications of ECMO in the pre-hospital setting, which now allows extracorporeal support to be initiated during transport. These are topics of direct concern to the public, as they concern the safety and effectiveness of care in the most critical moments.

But innovation isn't just about technology: it also involves the culture of sharing health data. "Every second counts," Colombo explains, "but speed isn't enough without information. Today, less than half of Italians have given consent to the use of their electronic health record, meaning that in an emergency, a doctor may find themselves without access to vital data such as allergies, medications, or chronic conditions. We must promote a culture of prevention and digital responsibility: sharing your health information is a simple gesture, but it can save a life."

Regarding hyperbaric emergencies, the focus was on the role of microparticles in carbon monoxide poisoning, multiple trauma, the management of diving accidents, and the new ITA-OTI Study, a multicenter observational study sponsored by SIAARTI that provides the first systematic overview of the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in Italy. "Hyperbaric oxygen is a valuable resource that works where traditional oxygen therapy fails," says Luca Martani, head of the SIAARTI Hyperbaric Medicine Cultural Area.

"Today," Martani continues, "we use it not only for decompression sickness in divers, but also in many other cases: carbon monoxide poisoning, severe infections, non-healing wounds, and complex trauma. Through the Ita-Oti study, we want to better understand the indications, standardize protocols, and ensure all patients have timely and appropriate access to this therapy. In an emergency, the difference between timely treatment and a delay can determine a patient's survival and quality of life."

The focus on emergency and hyperbaric medicine confirms Siaarti's commitment to building a healthcare system capable of responding effectively and humanely to the most critical situations, where the intervention of the anesthesiologist-resuscitator is crucial. Following the success of the 2024 edition in Turin, the Society announces that the Emergency Cultural Area (ACE) Congress will be held again in 2026, dedicated to training and research in all emergency and advanced rescue settings.