Submersion Injuries

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134 Submersion Injuries

Epidemiology

Submersion simply means going under water. To avoid confusion, especially in reporting, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation recommends that the following previously used terms no longer be used: dry and wet drowning, active and passive drowning, silent drowning, secondary drowning, and drowned versus near-drowned.1 In 2002, the World Congress on Drowning adopted a uniform definition of drowning: “the process resulting in primary respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in a liquid medium.”2

Drowning is an important cause of childhood morbidity and is among the top 10 causes of mortality (Fig. 134.1). Drowning is estimated to kill 500,000 people every year worldwide. Eighty percent of these episodes take place in low-income countries and low-income groups. About 80% of drowning episodes are deemed preventable.3,4

image

Fig. 134.1 Ten leading causes of injury deaths by age group highlighting unintentional injury deaths, United States—2007.

MV, Motor vehicle.

(Adapted from National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System [database]. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisgars/.)

Overall rates of drowning have dropped in all age groups, probably as a result of improved awareness, use of preventive measures, and other factors (Box 134.1). Inadequate supervision is the main risk factor for drowning in children. Most toddlers who drown do so in their own home pools, most infants drown in bathtubs, and adults and older children drown in fresh water. Fencing of private pools reduces the risk for drowning.5

Pathophysiology

Injuries from drowning result mainly from asphyxia and subsequent hypoxic-ischemic damage to vital organs. The event starts with panic because of air hunger and, eventually, aspiration of fluid into the hypopharynx. Reflex laryngospasm occurs but is usually brief before the victim aspirates large amounts of fluid into the lungs. Further aspiration can occur if the victim vomits and aspirates gastric contents. Aspiration is the end result of all drowning, and the old terminology of dry and wet drowning should not be used.6,7 Changes in intravascular volume, hematocrit, and electrolyte concentration as a result of aspiration are usually mild and not clinically significant. Both salt water and fresh water cause lung injury. The effect of tonicity on the intravascular compartment is minimal.8,9

The diving reflex is one of the unique phenomena described in children. Caused by vagal stimulation when the face is exposed to cold water (<10° C), this reflex is characterized by apnea, bradycardia, and intense vasoconstriction. It is presumed that this reflex can play a neuroprotective role in cold water submersion. Hypothermia slows cerebral metabolism when the body has had time to cool before aspiration or with submersion in extremely cold water and may also contribute to neuroprotection.

Treatment

Emergency Department Management

The main aims of treatment of a drowning victim in the ED are to avoid further hypoxia and restore effective ventilation and circulation (Table 134.1). ED personnel should assume the triad of hypoxia, acidosis, and hypothermia to be present in every drowning victim until proved otherwise. The need for cervical spine immobilization should be assessed, but in atraumatic drowning, immobilization is not mandatory. Vomiting occurs frequently, so early airway protection should be considered in distressed patients.

Table 134.1 Summary of Emergency Department Management of Drowning

ASPECT INTERVENTION
Airway

Breathing

Circulation Disability Exposure

Management of Hypothermia

For a detailed discussion of hypothermia, refer to Chapter 131. Hypothermia is defined as a core body temperature lower than 35° C. Depending on the temperature, hypothermia may be mild, moderate, or severe. This condition should be anticipated and treated in drowning victims. Notably, standard thermometers may not accurately measure low temperatures. Rewarming techniques are discussed in Chapter 131.

Next Steps in Care and Patient Education

Because of lung injury, loss of surfactant, and pulmonary edema, some patients will need higher end-expiratory pressure for optimal oxygenation. As PEEP is increased, blood pressure and cardiac output should be monitored because they can be compromised by high end-expiratory pressure. Intensive monitoring of cardiac, respiratory, and neurologic status and for complications such as aspiration pneumonia is indicated.

Some reports suggest that therapeutic hypothermia can improve neurologic outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and therefore recommend induction of hypothermia in drowning victims after restoration of spontaneous circulation as a neuroprotective therapy. Further studies of this approach are needed, especially regarding its use in children.11,12

No evidence supports the use of prophylactic antibiotics, corticosteroids, barbiturate therapy, or intracranial pressure monitoring in patients who have drowned.

Patients who are completely asymptomatic in the ED and whose arterial blood gas levels in room air, electrolytes, and chest radiographic findings are normal can be discharged after being observed for 6 hours. All others should be admitted to the hospital.

References

1 Idris AH, Berg RA, Bierens J, et al. Recommended guidelines for uniform reporting of data from drowning: the “Utstein style.”. Resuscitation. 2003;59:45–57.

2 Bierens JJ, ed. Handbook on drowning: prevention, rescue, treatment. Amsterdam: Springer, 2004.

3 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (database). Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/

4 Zuckerbraun N, Saladino R. Pediatric drowning: current management strategies for immediate care. Clin Pediatr Emerg Med. 2005;6:49–56.

5 Brenner RA, Trumble AC, Smith GS, et al. Where children drown, United States, 1995. Pediatrics. 2001;108:85–89.

6 Modell JH, Bellefleur M, Davis JH. Drowning without aspiration: is this an appropriate diagnosis? J Forensic Sci. 1999;44:1119–1123.

7 Olshaker J. Submersion. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2004;22:357–367. viii

8 Bierens JJ, Knape JT, Gelissen HP. Drowning. Curr Opin Crit Care. 2002;8:578–586.

9 Ibsen L, Koch T. Submersion and asphyxial injury. Crit Care Med. 2002;11(Suppl):S402–S408.

10 Modell J, Idris A, Pineda J, et al. Survival after prolonged submersion in freshwater in Florida. Chest. 2004;125:1948–1951.

11 Nolan JP, Soar J. Mild therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest: keep chilling. Crit Care Med. 2011;39:206–207.

12 Nolan JP, Morley PT, Vanden Hoek TL, et al. Therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest. An advisory statement by the Advancement Life support Task Force of the International Liaison committee on Resuscitation. Resuscitation. 2003;57:231–235.