$Unique_ID{BRK01391}
$Pretitle{Accidents, Poisoning, and Violence}
$Title{Pronounced Dead but Still Alive?}
$Subject{death diagnosis}
$Volume{O}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Pronounced Dead but Still Alive?


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QUESTION:  My daughter is sure she read about a case like this, but I don't
believe it.  They pronounced a young girl dead who was still alive.  Is this
just some phony story made up by those tabloids, or is there a possibility
that this could really happen?  If so please explain?

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ANSWER:  In some situations, because of lowered body temperature (hypothermia)
during an accident or other trauma, a person will appear to have ceased
breathing, will have no discernible pulse, and the body will be very cool.
Some of this "death-likeness," especially in drowning incidents, is due to the
dive reflex and other reflexes that cool the inside of the body quickly and
reduce the need for oxygen in the tissues.  These reflexes cause the body to
almost shut down and breathing and heart beat will not be apparent.  Some
hypothermic patients may have only one heart beat per minute, which won't be
noted if their pulse is checked for only 15 seconds.
     The first people at the accident scene and even the first health
professionals to see the victim who is seemingly without both respiration or
heart beat can mistake this condition for death.  However, if the person is
rewarmed carefully during resuscitation attempts, breathing and heartbeat may
return.  Because of this, in some states, resuscitative and restorative
techniques must be performed for every accident victim, unless decapitation or
other extremely severe injury make it very obvious that death has occurred.
At any rate, cases in which living people are mistakenly pronounced dead are
extremely rare.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
