After the second surge her heart starts beating again

  • defibrillator-rescue-child-resqshock

7-year-old child survives sudden circulatory arrest thanks to early defibrillation and resuscitation measures by first aiders and first responders.

Defibrillator from resQshock saves lives

Nicole is in first grade, she likes to draw and has one wish: she wants to learn to draw all the animals in the world.

On 16 October 2020 at 2.15 p.m., Nicole is standing in front of the gymnasium of the Tesserete primary school (Ticino) ready for her gymnastics lesson. Suddenly she collapses onto the floor. She is no longer breathing, her heart has stopped beating correctly.

The sports teacher and the teacher immediately start resuscitation measures. The Ticino Rescue Control Centre 144 is alerted in parallel. They in turn organise the local first responders and a police patrol. A defibrillator is soon on the scene. The device is applied to Nicole's body and after only the second jolt of electricity her heart begins to beat correctly again. A few moments later, the ambulance service arrives. Nicole is taken to the San Giovanni hospital in Bellinzona and from there flown to the children's hospital in Zurich, where she stays for 16 days.

Little Nicole receives an internal defibrillator, a small device that is able to detect cardiac arrhythmias and, if necessary, independently deliver a life-saving jolt of electricity.

Now Nicole resumes her usual activities, ready to face all the challenges of life and soon be able to draw all the animals in the world.

https://www.ticinocuore.ch/it/...

Statement from 16.12.2020

"We are all committed to moving the patient care system forward.
We all mobilise a lot of energy and passion day after day.
But we all have moments when we run out of strength or even doubt what we are doing.
In such moments, we should think of little Nicole (7), who can continue to enjoy life thanks to the system we all set up.
Because you don't survive a cardiac arrest by luck alone..."

Roman Burkart is President of the Swiss Resuscitation Council (SRC) and Director of the Inter Association for Rescue (IVR), both based in Bern.