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Drowning And Brain Damage?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Crystalline
Crystalline

In the case of adult men, does someone who survived drowning end up with long-term brain damage? Assuming one lost consciousness, had water enter his lungs, and nearly parished, but managed to survive, what would any possible long-term damage involve? How socially able would someone become? Any vital functions that would be impaired forever?

I'd like some in-depth insight on this, if possible.

Thank you.

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • archemedes
    archemedes Crystalline

    Posted

    It really depends upon what legth of time a person has been under the water and at the temperature of the water.

    Surprisingly enough the colder the water, the greater chance of survival because the heart rate reduces in these conditions, and therefore the amount of oxygen required for the organs reduces.

    The problem is there is no hard and fast rule, as everyone has difference tolerance levels.

     Fatal neurological injury normally occurs within 5 to 7 minutes of submersion, and almost always occurs following 12 to 14 minutes.

    Survivors may suffer a spectrum of disability ranging from memory loss to persistent vegetative state, as damage to the brain progresses inward from the cortex (higher brain functions) to the brainstem (heartbeat, respirations, reflexes). Challenges following resuscitation include fatal brain swelling, damage to the kidneys and lungs, and electrolyte imbalances which can cause cardiac arrest. Several studies have demonstrated the relationship between submersion time and survival.

    I hope this help you.

    • Crystalline
      Crystalline archemedes

      Posted

      Vegetative state? I searched the wiki, but I couldn't find any specific information on what would someone in a vegetative state experience.

      Is it like being fully aware of what's going on, but not being able to move? Like paralysis? 

    • archemedes
      archemedes Crystalline

      Posted

      A vegetative state can mean that the patient is not brain-dead but enters a coma-like state wherein only the autonomic nervous system is keeping the patient alive. Or to put it another way,  a vegetative state is absence of responsiveness and awareness due to overwhelming dysfunction of the cerebral hemispheres, with sufficient sparing of the diencephalon and brain stem to preserve autonomic and motor reflexes and sleep-wake cycles.

      A persistent vegetative state is a disorder of consciousness in which patients with severe brain damage are in a state of partial arousal rather than true awareness.

  • mark357
    mark357 Crystalline

    Posted

    I am led to believe that it is the length of time that the person is unconscious, along with the oxygen deprivation to the brain.

    But even if the person is treated pretty quickly, then I can't see why the person couldn't make a good recovery.

    But as I said, I'm not 100% sure. But good luck.

  • mrsmop
    mrsmop Crystalline

    Posted

    Are you talking about someone you know, who is currently in a coma, is it medically induced?

    The doctors won't know absolutely, until they bring the patient out of the coma.  

    Everyone is different.  I hope all goes well.

     

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