Everest 2007: British Doctors to scale Everest

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Plans to take medical science to the roof of the world will be announced today at the Cheltenham Science Festival.

The Xtreme-Everest Team will send a 20-strong expedition to the summit of Everest next spring to study the effects of low oxygen levels - hypoxia. They hope to increase survival levels for intensive care patients.

The research will be carried out by doctors and scientists from the Centre for Aviation, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine at the Institute of Human Health and Performance, University College London working with researchers around the world.

Dr Hugh Montgomery, the expedition leader, said: "At the 8,850-metre summit of Everest, there's so little oxygen getting into the lungs that the body quickly starts shutting down and mountaineers risk slipping into a coma.

These extreme conditions mimic what it's like for patients in intensive care and studying the human body in this environment will teach us invaluable lessons in the science of survival."

Dr Mike Grocott said: "One in six Britons will spend time in an intensive care unit and, shocking as it may sound, up to three in 10 do not pull through. We know that mountaineers survive on low oxygen levels that would take the lives of intensive care patients in minutes.

"Our ascent will involve creating the world's highest medical laboratory, taking field science to a new level."

He said Everest's summit was at exactly the limit of human tolerance for hypoxia and for many years doctors and scientists believed it would be impossible to reach it without supplemental oxygen.

In 1978 Reinhold Messner proved them wrong and since then more than 100 climbers have succeeded without supplemental oxygen. Were the mountain even a few metres higher this would be impossible.

"The summit of Everest is a wonderful natural laboratory for the study of the effects of critical hypoxia," said Dr Montgomery, whose work has identified a gene associated with improved performance at high altitude.

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The team will set off for Everest in March 2007. They will climb the South Col route, presumably with O2 support. In preparation for their expedition, most team members will train in the Alps this summer; a group of them will attempt Cho Oyu in fall.

Part of the team has also launched a research operation called "Project Everest" consisting of a series of tests performed on volunteers, to find out their performance capacity.

The team is currently asking for volunteers - so if you are interested to know whether you are doomed to be a coach-potato, or you have the capacity of a super athlete within you - check the expedition's website for further information on the tests and how to volunteer.

Story edited June 07, 6.23 pm: All members of the summit team will have climbed over 8000m by the time they go to Everest (it is a requirement for being on the team). Himalayan experience amongst the team also includes 5 ascents of Cho Oyu, and around 50 ascents over 6000m in Nepal and India. Many of the team have also climbed extensively in the Andes. Dr Sundeep Dhillon climbed Everest in 1998, after also reaching over 8000m on Everest in 1996.

The Xtreme Everest British expedition will attempt the peak from its South side in spring 2007. Members will perform tests on themselves throughout their climb.

Climbing members are Dr Mike Grocott (expedition leader), Dr Hugh Montgomery (research leader), Dr Denny Levett (expedition medical officer), and Dr Sundeep Dhillon. They will be accompanied by a larger group of physicians, researchers, and BC crew.

Web: http://www.xtreme-everest.co.uk/