[A drowning accident of long duration with deep hypothermia and rewarming with extracorporeal circulation. A report of 2 patients].
Two nearly drowned, 2 9/12 and 3 6/12 years old boys with profound hypothermia were admitted to our pediatric intensive care unit with all signs of clinical death. Both patients could be rewarmed and oxygenated by extracorporeal circulation. One of them died 36 hours after the accident with severe brain edema. The second one survived without any defect. Rewarming of cold-water nearly-drowned patients by extra-corporeal circulation seems to be a very effective way of treatment.