WHen life isn't really extinct....

[the_negro_puppy]

Anyone ever experienced something like this? I'm not sure of what the situation was but jeez I wouldnt want to be the crew involved.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...dead-found-alive/story-e6freonf-1226315855605

AMBULANCE Victoria is undertaking a review after a car crash victim declared dead by a paramedic was later found to be alive when cut from the wreck by a SES volunteer.....

 

[Veneficus]

Anyone ever experienced something like this? I'm not sure of what the situation was but jeez I wouldnt want to be the crew involved.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...dead-found-alive/story-e6freonf-1226315855605

AMBULANCE Victoria is undertaking a review after a car crash victim declared dead by a paramedic was later found to be alive when cut from the wreck by a SES volunteer.....

Never experienced it first hand, heard of it several times.

I have never heard a case where the medics were not ultimately blamed in some way. (right or wrong, I have no inside knowledge on)

I can think of a few things off hand that would permit such error to reasonably occur. (like having a pulse and blood flow that was not palpable, not to be confused with having no pulse)

 

[Medic Tim]

I have heard of a few similar cases but the medics or emts called it based on a pulse check and how "bad" the accident was.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

We can't call it unless there is mortal wounds or we get a flatline on an ECG. That being said, with multiple patients on scene, they were not wrong to have left the patient and to go tend to the reds/yellows. As long as other were on scene, which it sounds like they were, they might not be in as much hot water as we think... I will admit that luck does have a part to do with them getting off if they do eventually, but it does seems like the same result regardless (the article just says no signs of life were found, in which case, tag black and move on to the next patient). The next volunteer showing up on scene will attend to the black or red-blue as appropriate assuming there are no more reds and yellows.

 

[Shishkabob]

Heard of people getting ROSC for no apparent reason several times in my relatively short career. All ultimately died.

 

[DrankTheKoolaid]

re

Unfortunately, like always we only are being spoon fed what they want us to know. How many other victims were there? Was this patient simply triaged out as black so they could save the others?

Side note..

Damn I hope that never happens to me

 

[the_negro_puppy]

The story has made national news here:

http://www.theage.com.au/national/man-given-up-for-dead-found-alive-20120401-1w6eq.html

Single pt with severe head/facial injuries entrapped upside down in a car. Apparently had great difficulty in assessing him due to his entrapment.

Ambulance Victoria is investigating how paramedics incorrectly assessed a man as deceased following a car accident, as reports emerge that at least 90 minutes passed before emergency service workers at the scene realised the victim was actually alive.

And it has been suggested that the man could be seen twitching as he lay on the ground, covered by a tarpaulin and presumed dead.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/m...found-alive-20120401-1w6eq.html#ixzz1qqf1S3I5


I could see how this could happen. Pt either miraculously had ROSC or was incorrectly declared pulseless traumatic arrest. Will be interested to see if they infact did a 3 lead ECG and printed off asystole, as required when declaring life extinct here.


Pic from article

 

[bigbaldguy]

The 1000 dollar question is would discovering he was still alive made a difference in ultimate patient outcome?

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

I could see how this could happen. Pt either miraculously had ROSC or was incorrectly declared pulseless traumatic arrest. Will be interested to see if they infact did a 3 lead ECG and printed off asystole, as required when declaring life extinct here.

negropuppy-are they required to do that even when doing triage? B/c that seems like a waste of time to me... And what's the difference between if they get asystole and getting PEA or v-fib or something? Triage as red-blue instead of straight up black?

 

[mycrofft]

A story from the book "Seabiscuit", true or not

In the Twenties (Nineteen Twenties) a famous jockey fell, was found to be dead and allegedly toe-tagged by trackside "medical". Another doc came in, tried intracardiac adrenaline twenty minutes after the accident, and not only did the jockey revive, but, as with many jockeys, he wanted to continue the race. Went on to continue his career.

All these accounts are lacking some element, but they make for a good filler piece and get out attention.

 

[Veneficus]

In the Twenties (Nineteen Twenties) a famous jockey fell, was found to be dead and allegedly toe-tagged by trackside "medical". Another doc came in, tried intracardiac adrenaline twenty minutes after the accident, and not only did the jockey revive, but, as with many jockeys, he wanted to continue the race. Went on to continue his career.

All these accounts are lacking some element, but they make for a good filler piece and get out attention.

Shhhh...

That could wind up being the next ACLS recommendation... Intracardiac epi.

 

[mycrofft]

Didn't you ever watch "Pulp Fiction"?

 

[Veneficus]

Didn't you ever watch "Pulp Fiction"?

Apparently my profile pick is lost on you

 

[mycrofft]

Man knows how to "clean a scene".