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We have all heard the anecdote about the child who was submerged in very cold water for more than 45 minutes and survived neurologically intact, but what do real data tell us about survival after prolonged submersion in cold water? In a retrospective, case-control study of unintentional open-water drownings between 1975 and 1996 in Washington State, researchers compared characteristics between patients with good outcomes (survival with no, mild, or moderate neurological sequelae) and those with bad outcomes. Patients who drowned in bath tubs, pools, or ponds were excluded.
Of 1094 patients (mean age, 24 years), 22% had good outcomes, 74% died, and 4% survived with severe neurologic sequelae or persistent vegetative states. Most drownings occ…