Near drowning

[whit72]

I know what the science states about performing the hiemlich maneuver in near drownings before attempts or after attempts of resuscitation have failed.

Do you attempt to empty the lungs first?

Do you attempt resuc. efforts first?

Do you just attempt resuc. efforts?

I was just wondering what some of your experiences have been with this maneuver in the field. If any.

I was just wondering if anyone has had success.

Thanks

[BEorP]

Why try to empty the lungs when there will not be very much (if any) water aspirated and any that is will be absorbed into central circulation?

[whit72]

I had just read an article about the use of the Heimlich maneuver in the near drowning victim. I understand the physiology of drowning. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with this or had any information on the topic.

[emsbrian]

Ok just a little confused about the question but Ill give it a shot here:

Scenario one: Our patient is near drowning but conscious (remember near drowning, to drown means that death occurred.) No abdominal thrusts are needed because he/she will cough up any water swallowed. Just watch out for the throw-up.

Scenario two: Bob passed out while drowning. Unconscious patients get CPR thats what AHA says. Obstructed Unconscious is CPR so does it matter? Remember we now use chest thrust (compressions) to expel foreign objects in unconscious patients while performing just as we would doing CPR.

While as a rescue diver (misnomer for my area) we don't see many living drowns we do teach CPR/obstructed by the AHA guidelines and Red Cross Life Saver and from my knowledge of those I hope this answers your question.

[whit72]

I was just curious because I was talking with family member over the holidays he had taken a life guard training class a few years back in high school and was taught the Heimlich maneuver when resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. I had remembered hearing about it but didn't have much info for him.

I was just curious had anyone else heard of this method being used.

Near drowning defines a person that has been successfully resuscitated. I believe.

[Toxic]

Of course, if they had been successfully resuscitated, you wouldn't need to be doing the Heimlich on them, right? That being said, I'm with brian...Heimlich is only used on foreign body obstruction until the point of unconsciousness...then we use chest thrusts (that might have been different when your family member took the course). That being said, the drownings I've had were bloaters and/or unrevivable...so the answer, I think to your question, is a simple no. No success. 8)

Tox

[emsbrian]

Hmm we always call the patient near drowning until they are pronounced. (Probably just positive thinking lol) not a rescue diver instructor Just EMS and all related there lol

Lifeguarding like CPR has changed a lot in the pas 4 years.

It is indeed true that the abdominal thrusts were recommended to expel water a few years back, but that has gone the way of the pre-cardial thump.

When in doubt follow your AHA guidelines water is a foreign body. They are unconscious therefor CPR. Its hard but we have to keep up to date in this job.

On that note, lifeguards are still covered by good samaratian laws and anything is always better then nothing. Just remember that if you just left the person they would die, any half logical attempt improves there chances.

[whit72]

I don't have extensive experience with drownings. However I have treated the few with normal resuscitation attempts.

Thanks for the info provided. I have also found some articles online that have dismissed the use of the maneuver in the drowning pt.

Thanks again.

[Asysin2leads]

Whit, I believe the theory is that since we don't have x-ray vision, a "near-drowning" should be considered a "complete drowning", i.e., water has entered the lungs if rescusitation efforts are unsuccesful, and so the Heimlech maneuver is attempted. That would be my guess. I also believe modern theory is to start CPR as they've found chest compressions provide as much or almost as much success as chest thrusts.

[whit72]

Once I began to do a little reading on the subject, the statistics that were being thrown around were astonishing, however there were no facts to back up what Heimlich's findings were. That normal resuscitation efforts would not have produced the same statistics.

I just found it some interesting reading.