Lazarus syndrome

Lazarus syndrome
Synonyms	Auto-resuscitation after failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Spontaneous return of circulation after failed resuscitation attempts
Complications	Potential brain damage, organ failure
Onset	Minutes to hours after cessation of CPR
Duration	Variable
Types	N/A
Causes	Unknown, possibly related to delayed action of medications, hyperkalemia, or auto-PEEP
Risks	Cardiac arrest, prolonged CPR
Diagnosis	Observation of spontaneous return of circulation
Differential diagnosis	Cardiac arrest, death
Prevention	N/A
Treatment	Supportive care, monitoring
Medication	N/A
Prognosis	Variable, depends on duration of arrest and underlying conditions
Frequency	Rare
Deaths	Not directly attributed, but related to underlying condition

Lazarus syndrome is a rare and unexplained medical phenomenon that involves the spontaneous return of circulation after failed attempts at resuscitation. Its occurrence has been noted in medical literature at least 38 times since its first description in 1982.

Overview

Lazarus syndrome is named after Lazarus of Bethany, who, according to the New Testament, was brought back to life by Jesus Christ four days after his death. The syndrome is also referred to as autoresuscitation after failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, highlighting the fact that it occurs after unsuccessful attempts to revive a person who has suffered a cardiac arrest.

Causes

The exact cause of Lazarus syndrome is unknown. However, several possible explanations have been proposed. One theory suggests that a build-up of pressure in the chest as a result of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) could cause the heart to start pumping again once the resuscitation efforts have ceased. Another theory proposes that the administration of certain drugs such as adrenaline could cause the heart to restart.

Cases

There have been 38 reported cases of Lazarus syndrome since 1982. The majority of these cases involved patients who had suffered a cardiac arrest and were being treated in a hospital setting. In most cases, the patients died shortly after resuscitation.

See also

• Cardiac arrest
• Resuscitation
• Lazarus of Bethany

References

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External links

• Lazarus syndrome at WikiMD