Good outcome after drowning with prolonged resuscitation and secondary pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (pARDS) requiring extra-corporeal-membrane-oxygenation (ECMO) – A special case in comparison to the single-center local 10-year experience in pediatric drowning - Report - MDSpire

Good outcome after drowning with prolonged resuscitation and secondary pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (pARDS) requiring extra-corporeal-membrane-oxygenation (ECMO) – A special case in comparison to the single-center local 10-year experience in pediatric drowning

  • By

  • Fiedler, Kai

  • Mohrmann, Chris

  • Meyer, Lisa

  • Sentner, Christiaan Peter

  • Heep, Axel

  • May 26, 2026

  • 0 min

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Favorable Recovery Following Drowning with Extended Resuscitation and pARDS

Overview

This report details the recovery of a 13-year-old boy who developed severe secondary pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (pARDS) after prolonged resuscitation following drowning. Despite multiple risk factors for poor outcomes, he achieved a favorable recovery and was discharged neurologically intact.

Background

Drowning is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children, necessitating effective resuscitation strategies. The development of secondary pARDS in pediatric drowning cases complicates recovery and often requires advanced interventions like extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Understanding the factors influencing outcomes in such cases is crucial for improving clinical decision-making and patient care.

Data Highlights

No numerical data or trial data available in the source material.

Key Findings

  • A 13-year-old boy recovered well after prolonged resuscitation and developed pARDS requiring ECMO.
  • Despite multiple risk factors for poor prognosis, the patient was discharged in an age-appropriate neurologic condition.
  • No significant differences were found in parameters at the initiation of intensive care that could explain the positive outcome.
  • Decision-making in pediatric drowning cases remains uncertain, highlighting the need for further research.
  • Contemporary guidelines emphasize the importance of high-quality CPR and ventilation tailored to asphyxial causes in drowning incidents.

Clinical Implications

This case underscores the potential for favorable outcomes in pediatric drowning cases, even with severe complications like pARDS. Clinicians should remain vigilant in their resuscitation efforts and consider ECMO as a viable option in similar scenarios, while also acknowledging the uncertainties in prognostication.

Conclusion

The unexpected recovery of this patient highlights the complexities of pediatric drowning cases and the need for ongoing evaluation of treatment protocols. Further research is essential to clarify the factors that contribute to successful outcomes in such critical situations.

Related Resources & Content

  1. Annual Overview of Intensive Care Medicine 2011, Intensive Care Medicine, 2011 -- Focus on ARDS, ECMO, Weaning, Mechanical and Noninvasive Ventilation, Pediatrics, and Additional Topics
  2. Factors Influencing Outcomes in Pediatric Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Pediatric Cardiology, 2010
  3. Utilization of Mobile Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Trauma Patients Following Freshwater Drowning, Intensive Care Medicine, 2011
  4. 2025 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care, American Heart Association, 2025
  5. 2025 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and ECC Science Treatment, American Heart Association, 2025
  6. Intensive Care Medicine — Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, acute kidney injury, fluid balance, and continuous renal replacement therapy: Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) and Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) joint consensus conference
  7. Updated guidance says CPR with breaths essential for cardiac arrest following drowning
  8. Executive Summary of the Second International Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (PALICC-2)
  9. 2025 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care - Professional Heart Daily | American Heart Association
  10. 2025 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and ECC Science Treatment - Professional Heart Daily | American Heart Association
  11. Part 8: Pediatric Advanced Life Support: 2025 American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics
  12. Effect of prehospital respiratory interventions on pediatric drowning outcomes - PubMed
  13. Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Updates in the Light of the PALICC-2 Guidelines
  14. Frontiers | Prone positioning in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
  15. Positive end-expiratory pressure in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome: a narrative review - PMC
  16. Evaluating hyperoxia and its impact on clinical outcomes in paediatric intensive care: a systematic review and meta-analysis | Intensive Care Medicine – Paediatric and Neonatal | Springer Nature Link
  17. ELSO Guidelines
  18. ELSO Guidelines
  19. Outcomes of Pediatric Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Using Dual-Lumen or Multisite Cannulation: Extracorporeal Life Support Database Study, 2000-2019 - PubMed
  20. Efficacy and safety of prone positioning in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): A systematic review and meta-analysis - ScienceDirect
  21. Results from 237 extracorporeal membrane oxygenation runs with drowned patients: a nationwide retrospective study - PubMed
  22. Successful prehospital ECMO in drowning resuscitation after prolonged submersion - ScienceDirect
  23. Therapeutic Hypothermia after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Children - PMC

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