ON DROWNING

Fatal accidents caused by drowning involve 1-2 out of 100,000 persons per year (20% of them less than 5 years old). Both, aspiration of fres h and salt water lead to the same pathophysiological endpoint of sever ely disturbed pulmonary gas exchange. Therefore identical prehospital therapeutic strategies are recommended: In case of acute respiratory f ailure the application of oxygen and early intubation followed by PEEP -ventilation are indicated. Hypothermia of the patient has to be taken into special account. Even patients without any clinical findings aft er near-drowning (i.e. incident has been survived for more than 24 hou rs) should be admitted to hospital, because df possibly occurring pulm onary complications.