Resuscitation of submersion casualties
Kizer, K.W.
Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America 1(3): 643-652
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0733-8627 PMID: 6396075 Document Number: 211711
Submersion accidents are an important public health problem in this country and worldwide, and they present a special challenge to emergency personnel. Submersion injury affects multiple systems but most notably involves the lungs, where ventilation-perfusion mismatching and intrapulmonary shunting result in hypoxemia, acidosis, and generalized anoxic injury. Resuscitation of the victims of submersion casualties should be directed at restoring respiration, improving oxygenation, correcting acidosis, and treating concomitant problems such as hypothermia, drug and alcohol intoxication, or cervical spinal trauma. With expeditious and proper treatment, most submersion victims have a good prognosis.