[Implanted automatic defibrillator after ventricular fibrillation treated with semi-automatic defibrillation]

We report two cases of out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation treated without delay, with basic life support practiced by the witness, followed by a successful defibrillation by paramedics with a semi-automatic defibrillator. In the subsequent month, a cardioverter-defibrillator was implanted. In one patient, a ventricular tachycardia occurring 10 months later and a ventricular fibrillation 9 months later in the other respectively, were successfully reversed by the implanted defibrillator. These two cases illustrate the value of the "survival chain" concept (undelayed alert, basic life support by witness, early defibrillation by paramedics with a semi-automatic defibrillator, advanced life support by a physician) as well as the benefit of the implanted cardioverter-defibrillator.