MAJOR NEUROPSYCHIATRIC RESIDUALS FOLLOWING RESUSCITATION FROM CARDIAC ARREST

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Abstract
In the Veterans Administration Neuropsychiatric Hospital we are caring for three patients who have severe neurological and psychiatric deficits after varying periods of cerebral anoxia secondary to cardiac asystole. They had been resuscitated by thoracotomy and manual massage of the heart. It now appears that profound neuropsychiatric changes will persist, and that sustained nursing care of these patients will be necessary. We have reviewed the literature of a total of 162 cases of heart massage after cardiac arrest.1Thirty-five per cent of the patients recovered completely, or with minor residuals, while two patients reported on followed a course similar to our patients.2Medical personnel facing the problem should be aware of this latter contingency. After this preliminary note we propose to consider the subject of cerebral anoxia in general with an analysis of related experimental work and our observations on immediate and long-term rehabilitation procedures. REPORT OF CASES

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