Reversal of intractable hypoxemia with exogenous surfactant (calfactant) facilitating complete neurological recovery in a pediatric drowning victim.
OBJECTIVE
To report the successful reversal of intractable hypoxemia after exogenous surfactant (calfactant) administration, facilitating neurological recovery in a toddler cold-water drowning victim with significant circulatory arrest time.


METHODS
Case report and review of literature.


RESULTS
A 2(1/2)-year-old girl cold-water drowning victim with severe, intractable hypoxemia after submersion time of approximately 15 minutes and arrest time of approximately 45 minutes was given 80 mL/m of calfactant endotracheally with reversal of her hypoxemia and eventual neurologically intact survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Surfactant replacement with calfactant is a rational, useful, and potentially lifesaving treatment for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure due to drowning.
Varisco
Brian Michael
BM
Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and daggerDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA. bvarsico@peds.uab.edu
Palmatier
Crystal Marie
CM
Alten
Jeffrey Allen
JA
D001688:Biological Products / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004332:Drowning; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D014132:Trachea
D001688:Biological Products; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; C117342:calfactant