According to Seoul Medical Center, at around 6:50 AM on the 4th, Lee Seung-gu, a physical therapist at the Seoul Medical Center Rehabilitation Medicine Center, who had stopped by a swimming pool in Jungnang-gu, Seoul to do some early morning exercise, suddenly witnessed a man collapse in the locker room.
The physical therapist, who noticed that the man had a pale complexion and was stiff, immediately began CPR, asking the people around him to call 119 and bring an AED. He also administered a cardiac shock using the AED that the swimming instructor and other people around him had brought. Afterwards, the 119 rescue team arrived at the scene, took the patient over, and transported him to the hospital.
The Seoul Medical Center Regional Emergency Medical Center, which was requested to transfer an emergency patient, had difficulty accepting additional patients at the time because the intensive care unit was full. Fortunately, the CPR room was available, so the patient was able to be transferred and emergency treatment was performed.
It was reported that he was found to have an abnormality in his cardiovascular system through a detailed examination followed by emergency treatment at the regional emergency medical center, and that he received interventional treatment under the close cooperation of the emergency medical center medical staff and the cardiovascular center and is recovering safely.
Dr. Yong-wook Jeong, head of the regional emergency medical center (emergency medicine specialist) who first treated the cardiac arrest patient transferred to Seoul Medical Center, explained the situation at the time, saying, “It was a dangerous situation where even if the initial treatment had been delayed by just a few minutes, it could have resulted in aftereffects or, in severe cases, death.”
Chief Jeong said, “This response is an exemplary case of the chain of survival, where witness responses and follow-up measures at the scene of a cardiac arrest patient were carried out according to the manual,” and “Thanks to the cooperation of the medical departments behind the scenes, emergency treatment was carried out quickly, allowing us to preserve the golden time.”
Mr. Park Seok-jin (49), a patient who received intensive care in the intensive care unit and is currently recovering in a general ward, said, “I have no memory of the accident, but I was told that the initial emergency treatment was done well after I regained consciousness, and that treatment was also carried out quickly after I was transferred to the hospital.” He expressed his gratitude to the physical therapist, the 119 rescue workers, and the medical staff at Seoul Medical Center, saying, “Everyone who helped me regain my health and be discharged safely is my lifelong benefactor.”
Meanwhile, physical therapist Lee Seung-gu, who was the first to respond, worked at the Rehabilitation Medicine Center of Seoul Medical Center, and consistently received CPR training for all employees every year. He also completed the ‘Healthcare Professionals CPR (KBLS-Provider)’ course certified by the Korean Association of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, and had a keen interest in emergency care. In addition, he continued to donate blood regularly, donating blood donation certificates to the Korean Blood Cancer Association, the Korean Association for Childhood Leukemia, and the Korean Leukemia Children’s Foundation.
The physical therapist said, “When I actually encountered a cardiac arrest patient, I was able to call 119 and request a defibrillator from those around me without hesitation thanks to the CPR training I received every year while working at the hospital, and I was also able to perform CPR correctly.” He added, “I would like to express my gratitude to the swimming pool staff, the 119 rescue team, and the medical staff who worked together to help the patient, as well as their hard work and dedication in difficult and challenging circumstances who took over the emergency patient and did their best to save his life.”
Source: www.donga.com
