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Outcome analysis of cardiac arrest due to hanging injury
Jung Hee Wee1, Kyu Nam Park, Sang Hoon Oh
1Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Insights
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) from hanging injuries resulted in nonshockable rhythms and a 9.6% survival rate. Survivors were young but had poor neurologic outcomes, highlighting the need to consider cervical spine fractures.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Cardiology
- Forensic Pathology
Background:
- Cardiac arrest due to hanging injuries presents unique challenges in resuscitation.
- Understanding patient characteristics and outcomes is crucial for improving emergency medical care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review patient demographics and analyze outcomes for individuals experiencing cardiac arrest from hanging.
- To identify factors influencing survival and neurologic recovery in hanging-related cardiac arrest cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) cases due to hanging.
- Inclusion of patients presenting to a tertiary hospital from 2000-2009.
- Evaluation of Utstein style variables and Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) at discharge.
Main Results:
- Fifty-two patients with OHCA due to hanging were analyzed.
- All initial cardiac rhythms were nonshockable (asystole or PEA).
- A survival rate of 9.6% was observed, with 5 survivors discharged, all young with CPC 4 (poor neurologic outcome).
Conclusions:
- Hanging-related OHCA typically involves nonshockable rhythms, leading to low survival rates.
- Survivors often exhibit severe neurologic deficits.
- Cervical spine fracture should be considered in the assessment of hanging-related cardiac arrest patients.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to review patient characteristics and analyze the outcomes in patients who have had cardiac arrest from hanging injuries.
Methods:
A retrospective review was performed that examined the victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) due to hanging who presented to a tertiary general hospital from January 2000 to December 2009. Utstein style variables were evaluated, and patient outcomes were assessed at the time of hospital discharge using the cerebral performance category (CPC) scale.
Results:
Fifty-two patients with OHCA due to hanging were enrolled in this study from the aforementioned 10-year inclusion period. Resuscitation attempts were performed in 31 patients (60%), and 21 patients were pronounced dead. In all cases, the first monitored cardiac rhythms were either asystole or pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and were therefore nonshockable rhythms. Of the patients for whom resuscitation was attempted, 13 (42%) experienced a return of spontaneous circulation and 1 revealed cervical spine fracture. Of the 13 return-of-spontaneous-circulation patients, 5 survived to be discharged. The mean age of these 5 surviving patients was 36 years. All 5 patients were graded as cerebral performance category 4 at discharge.
Conclusion:
The first monitored cardiac rhythms of patients presenting with OHCA due to hanging were nonshockable rhythms wherein the survival rate of these patients was 9.6%. All of the survivors were relatively young and demonstrated poor neurologic outcomes at discharge. Physicians must consider cervical spine fracture in patients who had cardiac arrest from hanging.
