Biology of drowning.

The near-drowning victim must be treated immediately for ventilatory insufficiency, hypoxia, and the resulting acidosis. The cause and pathophysiologic changes of pulmonary insufficiency vary, depending on the tpe and volume of fluid aspirated. Success or failure of the overall resuscitative effort frequently depends on the adequacy of prompt emergency resuscitation and on effective intensive pulmonary care. Each patient should be evaluated and treated individually, since abnormalities of multiple organ systems can occur, their degree and form varying considerably from patient to patient (28).