12 minutes without oxygen in a cold farm pond. Certain brain death or is there a chance of recovery?

Answer 1

The axiom in the ER is that you're not dead until you're warm and dead. People suffering from hypothermia can have profoundly lowered heart and breathing rates such that they look dead but aren't. Therefore, we continue resuscitation efforts until they are of normal body temperature. Like someone posted before, it would depend on just how cold the pond was and how long before the reflexes kicked in to decrease metabolic demand.

Answer 2

The cold pond might actually be working in your favor here. The low temperature decreases the metabolic rate and it takes longer to produce irreversible brain damage than in warm conditions. Induced hypothermia is actually used in some clinical situations such as fulminant hepatic failure to prevent brain damage. You would have to support the patient until the temperature is normal and other vital signs and electrolytes have normalized and then assess the brain again but I would say there is a chance of recovery.

Answer 3

There is a definate chance of survival here because of a reflex called the mammalian diving reflex. When the face is submerged in cold water, the heart rate slows dramatically, and the body shuts down blood circulation to the skin, gut, and muscles. Not everyone can survive, but the standard training now for emergency personnell is to continue resuscitation efforts until the body temperature is restored to near normal.

Answer 4

I think there would be a chance. 12 minutes may not be enough!!