Swiss medical weekly
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Until 1977 the prognosis in childhood near drowning was rather poor. Many children died or survived permanently damaged by hypoxic encephalopathy. In the late seventies new methods of invasive neurointensive care were introduced in pediatric intensive care and were used in selected cases of near drowning. ⋯ Two children were "brain dead" and showed significant cardiovascular instability at the time of ICU admission. Both died, while all the others survived: 11 were completely normal and 1 child was slightly retarded. We conclude that the prognosis in childhood near drowning can be greatly improved by triage, generous use of artificial ventilation and invasive neurointensive care in those children who remain deeply comatose after near drowning.