[Recovery from apparently hopeless fresh-water drowning (author's transl)].

Report of 3 cases of drowning (children). 2 patients survived without severe injury, 1 patient died after 13 days. The protective action of hypothermia to the brain and heart in hypothermic drowning is emphasized. Even in apparently hopeless cases resuscitation should be started immediately and should not be discontinued too early. Especially in hypothermic drowning efforts can be successful after more than 60 min. of resuscitation. In cases of drowning an emergency physician should be called immediately (emergency-ambulance, rescue-helicopter). A short survey of pathologic physiology, emergency therapy and intensive care of drowning is given.