RETURN TO LIFE IN A LONG DURATION AFTER CLINICAL DEATH - HERE IS THE RECORD "DEATH"

Lazarus is a character in the Bible who had returned from his tomb alive and well after 4 days from death. Lazarus Syndrom refers to blood circulation returning spontaneously after heart stops beating, and fails to restart after cardiopulmonary resusciation (CPR). There are many people world over who had clinical death but returned to life after fairly long intervals. There are also many cases of those returned to life telling about all those happened around there during their absence from life. Many such cases were later duly vouched by the medical community. Among those returned to life after clinical death we may find below the record holder for the longest interval between life and death. Doctors were able to establish faint pulse after eight minutes of CPR.

Velma Thomas, 59, Nitro, West Virginia, USA holds the record for the longest interval for the absence from life. In May 2008 Velma had a cardiac arrest while at home. Velma's heart stopped twice after arriving at the hospital and she was placed on life support. Doctors tried to bring down her body temperature to prevent additional brain Injuries. Velma was declared clinically dead as doctors failed to detect any brain activity. Her son stated that his mother's skin had started getting harder, her hands and toes were curling up. All life support were taken off and her funeral arrangements were in progress. However, ten minutes after being taken off the life support, she revived and recovered. In all she remained "dead" for a record 17 hours.

(Indebted to web sources and wikipedia)

K V George