Accidental Drowning: The Importance of Early Measures of Resuscitation for a Successful Outcome

CASE REPORT: The case of a drowning teenager is described involving application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by an untrained rescuer in the field and fast transport to a hospital enabling a positive resuscitation outcome despite an underorganized emergency medical service in a rural area. In our case hypoxia led to extended functional disorders of the cardiovascular system, which fully recovered after adequate therapy. CONCLUSION: Knowledge about BLS measures by ordinary citizens, together with continuous education of health professionals concerning modern techniques of CPR, is crucial for increasing the number of patients surviving after cardiac arrest.