Citation

Lee YH, Ahn HC, Sohn YD, Ahn JY, Park SM, Hong CK, Hwang SY, Na JU, Shin DH, Jo IJ, Song KJ, Sim MS. Hong Kong J. Emerg. Med. 2014; 21(5): 316-321.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Medcom Limited)

DOI

10.1177/102490791402100506

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: There is no specific treatment for comatose patients after near-hanging or in those who recover from cardiac arrest (CA) caused by hanging. Since 2009, we have used therapeutic hypothermia (TH) to treat all comatose survivors of near-hanging and in patients who recovered from CA caused by hanging. The purpose of this study was to describe the outcomes in comatose patients after near-hanging.

DESIGN: Case series. Setting: Emergency departments of two regional hospitals.

METHODS: We collected patient data from the Samsung Medical Center hypothermia database between November 2009 and November 2011. We included all patients presented with near-hanging or CA caused by hanging; who remained comatose and received TH after resuscitation for analysis. Clinical characteristics and outcome of patients were presented.

RESULTS: During the study period, 26 patients were admitted to the emergency department after near-hanging or CA caused by hanging; 21 patients were enrolled in this study. Twelve patients with CA and 9 comatose patients without CA were treated with TH. Only 1 patient with CA had a good neurological outcome. By contrast, all near-hanging patients without CA had a good neurological outcome.

CONCLUSIONS: TH can be an effective therapeutic modality in cases of near-hanging without CA. However, the effectiveness of TH is questionable in patients who survive from CA caused by hanging. © 2014 Medcom Limited. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; Suicide; female; male; Asphyxia; resuscitation; liver failure; treatment outcome; hanging; kidney failure; Cardiopulmonary resuscitation; retrospective study; clinical article; emergency health service; heart arrest; computer assisted tomography; induced hypothermia; Treatment outcome; Article; comatose patient; swelling; Induced hypothermia; near hanging