Īlert mental status in the emergency room is predictive of survival in a near-drowning victim, whereas coma is suggestive of a poor outcome. Pulmonary oedema in near-drowning is secondary to hypoxic pulmonary damage and usually resolves within three to five days. A central distribution of ground-glass attenuation is more common. Ill-defined centrilobular nodules may be found, as well as air-space consolidation. Foreign material aspiration can lead to sand bronchogram, with radiodense material in the tracheobronchial tree.ĬT findings include bilateral patchy or diffuse areas of ground-glass attenuation and fine reticular opacities (“crazy-paving” appearance). When it is abnormal, the most common finding is perihilar or generalised pulmonary oedema. Initially it can be normal, even in patients with clinical evidence of pulmonary oedema. Ĭhest radiography is important for distinguishing patients with and without aspiration and allows evaluation of therapy response and possible complications. However, reports of CT features are scarce. Ĭhest radiographic findings in these cases are well described in the literature. Hypoxia is the central cause of diffuse organ pathology in case of drowning. If the situation persists, it can evolve into respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Water and foreign material aspiration leads to endothelium and pneumocytes damage, with increased surfactant production, resulting in diffuse alveolar damage. The main consequence of prolonged submersion is adequate ventilation exchange impairment due to laryngospasm and aspiration of water or foreign material, leading to hypoxaemia and acidosis. If the process of drowning is interrupted, it is termed nonfatal drowning.ĭrowning is a leading cause of death worldwide between 5 and 14 years of age, particularly in boys. It represents respiratory impairment in case of submersion or immersion. In 2002, the WHO defined drowning as the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid.