Spontaneous defibrillation after cessation of resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A case of Lazarus phenomenon

SummaryThis report describes a case of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with spontaneous defibrillation and subsequent return of circulation after cessation of resuscitative efforts. A 47-year-old man was found in cardiac arrest and resuscitation was initiated. As no response was achieved, the efforts were withdrawn and final registered cardiac rhythm was ventricular fibrillation. Fifteen minutes later the patient was found to be normotensive and breathing spontaneously. The patient made a poor neurological recovery and died 3 months after the arrest. The authors are unable to give an explanation to the event, but suspect the effect of adrenaline combined with mild hypothermia to have contributed to the self-defibrillation of the myocardium.