Resuscitation of a Pediatric Drowning in Hypothermic Cardiac Arrest.

The prognosis of pediatric patients who require prolonged resuscitation after ice water drowning and hypothermic cardiac arrest remains guarded. We report a case of successful prolonged resuscitation of a pediatric patient in hypothermic cardiac arrest who showed severe metabolic derangements and went on to make a rapid and full neurologic recovery without the use of extracoproreal rewarming or mechanical cardiac support. Many ground and air medical emergency medical service programs have policies against interfacility transfer of patients in hypothermic cardiac arrest, calling into question the need to revise current protocols.