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Related Experiment Videos

Problems and complications with cold-water rescue.

Gordon G Giesbrecht1, John S Hayward

  • 1Laboratory for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, the Health, Leisure and Human Performance Research Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. giesbrec@ms.umanitoba.ca

Wilderness & Environmental Medicine
|March 17, 2006
PubMed
Summary

A sudden cold-water immersion incident involving a rowing team highlights the critical dangers of hypothermia and drowning. Lessons learned emphasize improved cold-water survival, rescue, and treatment strategies for victims.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Medicine
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Sports Medicine

Background:

  • A case study of a 9-member rowing team experiencing cold-water immersion due to a sudden winter storm.
  • Immersion in 4°C water for 50 minutes, followed by 13 minutes in 6.7°C air during rescue and transport.

Observation:

  • Two fatalities occurred: one from severe hypothermia, the other from drowning secondary to cold incapacitation.
  • The two coldest survivors presented with critical core temperatures (23.4°C and 25°C), one asystolic and the other in sinus bradycardia.
  • Observed a spectrum of physiological responses to cold exposure within the affected group.

Findings:

  • Lower body mass correlated with a faster rate of cooling.
  • Peripheral neuromuscular performance impairment was not dependent on body mass.

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  • Risk of cardiac arrest or ventricular fibrillation increases with rough handling of severely hypothermic patients.
  • Hypothermic victims may experience a significant temperature afterdrop (3-4°C) post-rescue if not properly insulated.

    • Implications:

    • Highlights the need for enhanced cold-water survival protocols and rapid, appropriate rescue techniques.
    • Stresses the importance of careful patient handling and core-region warming during transport to improve outcomes.
    • Suggests cardiopulmonary bypass as a potential life-saving intervention for asystolic, severely hypothermic patients.