About: Rescue death

Rescue death (or reflow syndrome) is a hypothesized fatal condition that can occur after blood pools in a part of the body for a prolonged period such as during suspension trauma. There are several proposed mechanisms for this phenomenon. One mechanism suggests that toxins build up in the pooled blood, and problems arise when this toxin-rich, oxygen-poor blood returns to the body when the patient is allowed to lie down. Another mechanism suggests that the sudden increase in preload causes acute heart failure. Although often discussed in lay publications on suspension trauma, several studies systematically reviewing the medical literature have concluded that there is no evidence of this phenomenon.