Saving a child who stopped breathing and had a heart attack after drowning

Recently, the Department of Intensive Care and Anti-Poison,Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospitalreceived emergency treatment for a child patient NCĐ. (54 months old, Dien Chau district) who drowned in a very serious condition, with a very high risk of death.

According to the family, the child drowned in the pond in front of the house. When discovered and rescued, the child was cyanotic, had stopped breathing, and had stopped his heart. The child received first aid for about 15 minutes and was taken to the district hospital for intubation.

After initial first aid, the patient was transferred to Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital in a comatose state, with balloon compression through the endotracheal tube, much pink foam coming out through the endotracheal tube, weak peripheral pulse, both pupils constricted to 1mm, and weak light reflex.

Determining that the patient's condition was very serious, due to the long period of circulatory arrest after drowning, the doctors discussed and explained the patient's condition to the family. Although the chances of survival and recovery were very low, the doctors and the family were determined and agreed to apply intensive resuscitation interventions for the child, especially the technique of command hypothermia.

Specialist Doctor 2 Nguyen Hung Manh - Head of the Department of Intensive Care - Anti-poison said: Command hypothermia is a method of using cooling techniques to control body temperature below 36 degrees Celsius. Command hypothermia helps reduce body metabolism, reduce oxygen consumption, improve anemia, reduce the production of free oxidants to protect the brain and tissues and organs in the body. Command hypothermia has been proven effective in helping patients with circulatory arrest have more chances of survival.

After 72 hours of controlled hypothermia, the patient was taken off sedation to assess consciousness. The patient's consciousness improved and his reflexes were good. The patient was taken off the ventilator after 4 days of treatment. After 8 days of treatment in the intensive care unit, the patient was alert, his health improved, there were no neurological sequelae and he could be discharged early next week.

Command hypothermia is an advanced technique in pediatric resuscitation, applied at Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital since 2022 and has recently saved many patients in a state of circulatory arrest.

Doctors recommend that for patients with cardiac arrest, initial first aid at the front line is very important, then the patient must be quickly taken to a qualified medical facility for further treatment. The technique of command hypothermia is highly effective within 6 hours of the patient's circulatory arrest./.