[Near-drowning in an adult: favorable course after a 20-minute submersion]

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was successful in a healthy 29-year-old woman who had been submerged for 20 minutes in water at 10 degrees C. The evolution was characterized by the development of a multifactorial ARDS (secondary drowning) and sepsis caused by Aeromonas hydrophila and Acinetobacter anitratum. Fibrosing alveolitis caused a restrictive syndrome with severe mechanical impairment and transitory therapy-resistant hypoxemia. It is suggested that prolonged submersion in cold water is also a treatable and completely reversible condition in adults. In our patient without neurological sequelae the pulmonary function studies after 3 months show complete recovery from the mechanical impairment. After a follow-up period of 11 months only mild abnormalities of gas exchange persist.