Operation Baby Drop: Lessons Learned from Military International Air Transport of Critically Ill Neonate

Military medical transport is unique due to its frequent long-distance travel with limited supplies and capabilities. Military neonatal transport is perhaps even more niche, and descriptions in the literature are rare. A military neonatal team transported a 1-month-old former 26-week infant from a forward-deployed non-combat setting. Due to complications in-flight, the infant could only be safely transported from the deployed setting to the refueling stop. This report is a descriptive analysis of the transport, including lessons learned that may help future teams plan for possible complications that can occur during neonatal transports.