Submersion Injuries in Children and Adults

Abstract

Drowning is defined as death by suffocation after submersion in a liquid medium. Near drowning is a term used when a patient recovers, at least temporarily, from the drowning episode. Most authors include loss of consciousness while submerged to complete the criteria of near drowning. In its Guidelines 2000 Conference, the American Heart Association urged that the term near drowning no longer be used and that it be replaced by the term submersion injury.

Fatal Scedosporiosis in Multiple Solid Organ Allografts Transmitted From a Nearly-Drowned Donor

“…Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental deaths among young and otherwise healthy individuals . Because of the problem of donor shortage, this makes these individuals ideal donors . Although organ donation from drowned victims is considered a risk factor for transmission of filamentous fungal infections, there are only two reported events of possible donor‐derived transmission of mold infections involving scedosporiosis and mucormycosis respectively, from drowned victims.…”

Considerations on infectious complications using a drowned lung for transplantation

“…Drowning is reported to be the third most common cause of all accidental deaths. Most of the victims are younger than 40 years of age [1]. Thus, considering the problem of donor shortage, the inevitable question arises if this large pool of organs could be utilized for lung transplantation.…”

Drowned donor lung for bilateral lung transplantation

“…It is estimated that worldwide there are 140,000 to 150,000 yearly deaths by drowning, with 6000 to 8000 of these deaths occurring in the United States. 1,2 Drowning causes global ischemia from hypoxia, and the cause of death at the scene is probably cardiac dysfunction; in secondary drowning deaths, however, the final common pathway is brain death from cerebral hypoxia. [1][2][3][4] In 10% to 15% of secondary drowning victims, dry drowning (no aspiration of water into the lungs) occurs; death in this situation is caused by acute laryngospasm leading to profound obstructive asphyxia.…”

“…1,2 Drowning causes global ischemia from hypoxia, and the cause of death at the scene is probably cardiac dysfunction; in secondary drowning deaths, however, the final common pathway is brain death from cerebral hypoxia. [1][2][3][4] In 10% to 15% of secondary drowning victims, dry drowning (no aspiration of water into the lungs) occurs; death in this situation is caused by acute laryngospasm leading to profound obstructive asphyxia. [1][2][3] It would seem unreasonable to consider lungs for transplantation from a victim of drowning; because of organ shortages, however, there are now efforts to consider marginal lungs for transplantation.…”

“…[1][2][3][4] In 10% to 15% of secondary drowning victims, dry drowning (no aspiration of water into the lungs) occurs; death in this situation is caused by acute laryngospasm leading to profound obstructive asphyxia. [1][2][3] It would seem unreasonable to consider lungs for transplantation from a victim of drowning; because of organ shortages, however, there are now efforts to consider marginal lungs for transplantation. 5,6 In our case, we implanted both lungs from a victim of dry drowning into a patient with pulmonary hypertension related to veno-occlusive disease after all criteria for donor lung transplantation acceptability were met.…”