When a Woman Collapsed on a Plane, a Duke Physician Assisted a Rescue

Dr. Blake Cameron was relaxing in his seat on American Eagle Flight 5471. He might have been reading or simply taking a moment to let his mind wander - he can't recall for sure. But, he does know what happened next.

There was a commotion several rows behind him, toward the back of the plane. Cameron, a Duke nephrologist, turned around and saw a woman face down on the aisle floor. He jumped to his feet and rushed to her, taking an assessment of her pulse and breathing. Two flight attendants joined him, and they got her seated as she woke up. 

"Things happen so quickly, but you rely on your critical care and life support training," Cameron said. "It's almost an automatic reflex that kicks in."

Erich Kiehl, a fellow doctor from Cleveland Clinic, joined them as the team provided their patient oxygen. The four quickly realized the woman had gone into anaphylactic shock and was having respiratory failure that would require treatment at a hospital. 

The pilot prepared for an emergency landing as the team administered life-saving care, including an EpiPen and albuterol inhaler. It was about 10 minutes until the emergency landing, "but it felt like an eternity," Cameron said.

It wasn't clear to the team that the woman would survive until she was transported from the plane by EMS. Media across the country have celebrated the act, including The Washington Post and ABC News.

"We were all complete strangers, but we came together as a high-functioning team on short notice in an unfamiliar environment," Cameron said. "We were so far out of our element, but everyone remained extraordinarily calm."

Being a part of any kind of life-saving effort is an incredible feeling, Cameron added, noting "that's really all the recognition I need, to know I made a difference." But the knowledge of what medical skills can provide outside a clinical setting is something he never takes for granted.

"The teamwork we develop internally at Duke allows us to be effective outside of Duke when emergencies like this happen," Cameron said. 

Cameron's concern didn't end with the flight, however. A few days after the incident, he and his wife visited the woman at the hospital.

"It was gratifying to see her doing well," he said, "and an emotional moment for all of us."