What should an astronaut get sick in space?

She designed a set of medical treatment procedures


　　"Astronaut Doctor" Shi Hongzhi: The risk must be reduced to zero

　　Since the launch of the Shenzhou 12 manned spacecraft on June 17, three astronauts have been living in space for nearly a month.

Apart from their relatives, there is also a group of "astronaut doctors" on the ground, Shi Hongzhi is one of them.

　　As an associate researcher of the Astronaut Medical Supervision and Insurance Office of the China Astronaut Center, Shi Hongzhi often accompanies the astronauts. Whether it is underwater training, manned low-pressure test, combination test or even field test, astronauts can always see it at each training site Her petite figure.

Compared to the ground, the health of the astronauts in space made her worry more about.

　　The astronauts swim in the space capsule like fish, looking new and interesting.

But what many people don't know is that the special environment of space, such as weightlessness, noise, pressure changes, etc., act on the human body, which can cause many dysfunctions and diseases, such as space motion sickness, decompression sickness, sleep disorders, and even severe arrhythmia.

　　Although there are various preventive strategies to minimize the risk of astronauts’ diseases in orbit before the mission is implemented, potential health risks cannot be completely avoided in the complex space environment.

Coupled with man-made or accidental damage, it will also affect the astronaut's physical health, work ability, and even hinder flight missions.

In the Soviet Union, three astronauts suffered sudden illnesses and suspended missions and returned early.

　　China's manned space project has entered the space station era. Astronauts stay in space for several months. What if they become ill?

There is no hospital in space. They can only carry out self-rescue with the assistance of ground personnel. The important prerequisite is to have a complete set of on-orbit medical treatment procedures.

　　In 2016, Shi Hongzhi began to revise the disease spectrum of the space station engineering astronauts.

She draws on the cases and experience in the history of manned spaceflight abroad, combined with the technical data of several domestic manned space missions, and analyzed hundreds of cases one by one. According to the four categories of weightless environment, pressure change, accidental injury and clinical Out of 89 possible diseases, included in the space station engineering astronaut disease spectrum.

In 2019, she reviewed and revised the disease spectrum based on the latest information at home and abroad, and finally formed an upgraded version covering 90 diseases in 4 categories.

　　The complete disease spectrum has laid a solid foundation for the medical supervision and insurance work of the space station, and provided a basis for the allocation of diagnosis and treatment resources and the design of medical treatment plans on the space station.

Next, Shi Hongzhi led the production of a 100,000-word diagnosis and treatment manual, which included medical plans, drug use guidelines, and on-track medical treatment procedures.

　　One day in March 2021, in the long-term manned comprehensive simulation verification test module of the space station, the astronaut crew is undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation training: astronaut A suddenly fainted and fell to the ground, astronaut B quickly stepped forward to judge his state of consciousness, and at the same time Call partner C to get in touch with the ground as soon as possible.

Afterwards, astronauts B and C fixed A to the restraint stretcher, performed chest compressions, artificial respiration, and used a defibrillator to give electric shocks...

　　This set of operating procedures is exactly the 23 on-orbit medical treatment procedures designed by Shi Hongzhi.

After the astronauts have been trained, they only need to follow the steps, which is equivalent to performing the functions of hands and eyes for the doctor, and the rest will be handed over to the ground medical supervision and insurance personnel to give treatment advice.

　　A complete mechanism for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of astronauts’ diseases in orbit has been established. Once astronauts develop diseases, they can carry out timely and effective medical treatment.

For general diseases, we strive to be cured on track, and there is no need to return in an emergency; for emergencies, emergency treatment is adopted to stabilize or reduce them, thereby reducing the risk of return.

　　In addition, Shi Hongzhi also serves as a crew doctor and provides on-call medical services, always worrying about the health of the astronauts.

"If you have a minor illness, you can carry it, but the astronauts are different, and the risk must be reduced to zero." She said.