Management of a Drowned Person After Low-Voltage Electrocution While Attempting a Rescue on a River

Abstract

We read with great interest the recent case report by Grimes et al. on a 31-year-old man who attempted to save a man who fell into a river walk waterway and was electrocuted and submerged for 5-6 minutes. We applaud the authors for discussing a case of drowning following an attempted bystander rescue, a tragic event that is garnering significant interest among the drowning prevention community. The authors provide important clinical information on a case of non-fatal electrocution and the use of Extra corporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO) for the management of the drowned person. Drowning caused by electrocution is poorly described in the medical literature and ECMO is an emerging modality for severe drowning of all aetiologies, which was recently the subject of a scoping review by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR). This case also highlights that drowning is often not simply due to swim failure, but can be precipitated by many simple or complex medical or traumatic aetiologies.