Difficult Decisions on the Cessation of Emergency Medical Treatment – The Lazarus Syndrome in the Practice of Paramedics

Abstract

Cessation of emergency medical treatment on the basis of symptoms of clinical death and unclear indicators of death can result in numerous adverse phenomena. The currently available medical literature contains descriptions of cases of people with cardiac arrest in whom life function returned several minutes after emergency medical treatment was ceased. In the course of their work, paramedics must be aware of the existence of the auto-resuscitation phenomenon known as the Lazarus syndrome. Although the instance of the phenomenon remains exceptionally low, the possible consequences of an unrecognised case can be devastating. This can result in complaints of professional malpractice, negative reports in the media, as well as mental health issues among medical personnel and patients’ relatives. Medical response team procedures in the case of cessation of emergency medical treatment must contain elements that minimise the possibility of auto-resuscitation, also known as the Lazarus syndrome, from occurring.