title: Spontaneous defibrillation after cessation of resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a case of Lazarus phenomenon.
abstract: This report describes a case of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with spontaneous defibrillation and subsequent return of circulation after cessation of resuscitative efforts. A 47-year-old man was found in cardiac arrest and resuscitation was initiated. As no response was achieved, the efforts were withdrawn and final registered cardiac rhythm was ventricular fibrillation. Fifteen minutes later the patient was found to be normotensive and breathing spontaneously. The patient made a poor neurological recovery and died 3 months after the arrest. The authors are unable to give an explanation to the event, but suspect the effect of adrenaline combined with mild hypothermia to have contributed to the self-defibrillation of the myocardium.
authors.affiliation: Medical School, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. antti.kamarainen@uta.fi
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kämäräinen
authors.forename: Ilkka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Virkkunen
authors.forename: Leevi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holopainen
authors.forename: Elja-Pekka
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Erkkilä
authors.forename: Arvi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yli-Hankala
authors.forename: Jyrki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tenhunen
mesh_terms: D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013997:Time Factors; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy; D028761:Withholding Treatment