A second chance at life: Lightning strike survivor hails ER staff that saved him

Kim Kwan-hang, a schoolteacher who was struck by lightning in Gwangju and suffered from cardiac arrest, was unconscious for 28 days but recovered thanks to the ER doctors and nurses.

Emergency physician Prof. Cho Yong-su, left, holds hands with Kim Kwan-hang, who suffered cardiac arrest after being struck by lightning. [CHONNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL]

Kim Kwan-hang, 29, is a schoolteacher who survived being after struck by lightning in Gwangju and falling unconscious for 28 days.

On Aug. 5, when more than 3,000 lightning strikes were observed in South Jeolla and Gwangju, Kim, who was on his way to have lunch after attending a seminar at a local university, was struck and collapsed. Kim was seen to have been in a state of electric shock after lightning directly struck a tree near him.

“I have absolutely no memories from 10 days [from the incident],” Kim said, adding that he also lost his memory of the day before the lightning struck him.

Kim, who underwent cardiac arrest that lasted over 40 minutes, likened his emergency physician at Gwangju-based Chonnam National University Hospital, Prof. Cho Yong-su, to a “second father,” thanking the doctor for not giving up on him.

On the day of the accident, after being knocked out by the lightning strike, Kim was taken to the emergency room by ambulance after a nearby pedestrian reported the incident to first responders and performed CPR on him.

Although his pulse returned after CPR was administered, his heart had stopped for 40 minutes.

Generally, the first four to five minutes are considered the most critical in saving people with cardiac arrest. If more than five minutes pass, the patient’s survival is unlikely because heart failure means oxygen cannot be supplied to lungs and brain.

“Honestly speaking, at first, doctors thought he barely had a chance of survival,” Prof. Cho said. “Considering the patient’s young age and the fact that he was in my hands, I wanted to try my best for a successful recovery.”

Cho said, “The emergency room had to urgently treat him with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO),” a life support device attached to a patient’s body to pump out blood and recharge the body with oxygen-rich blood. Cho noted that Kim’s lungs and heart were in a “hopelessly ill condition.”

Kim was later admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) where he was treated with ECMO for three days. The first night in the ICU was the most critical and worst because he suffered multi-organ failure and abnormal blood clotting simultaneously.

After a 10-day battle to come back to life, Kim was able to breathe by himself, and he was taken off the respirator.

Emergency physicians at Chonnam National University Hospital were trained to use ECMO, allowing Kim to receive the treatment without a hitch.

An official from the hospital said most doctors in emergency rooms at tertiary hospitals are undereducated in terms of ECMO use as such treatments are usually practiced by cardiothoracic surgeons or respiratory specialists.

“Lightning strike cases are rare, so even doctors specializing in emergency medicine usually do not have clinical experience,” Cho said, adding such patients are regarded as “hard to treat."

The doctor also noted that treating Kim was “extremely challenging because he suffered complications after the cardiac arrest.”

“The ECMO treatment was the last resort,” Cho said.

He also said the patient’s strong will to live was what pulled him through.

Although he was discharged from the hospital, he is experiencing some eating disorders and mobility difficulties because of muscle loss and skin damage.

Kim used to teach Korean language and literature to students in their first year at Gwangju Seoseok High School. However, considering his health condition, his return to the classroom has not been decided on yet.

Mentioning well-wishes and support from his students, Kim said, “The best I could do is return to class in the best health.”

“I thank the doctors and nurses who helped me endure tough treatment at the hospital and the family members who believed in my recovery,” Kim added.

“With a second life given to me, I will try my utmost to live a life with no regrets in an unpredictable reality.”

Earlier in this month, Kim donated 10 million won ($7,524) to the hospital and asked it to be used as a fund for the emergency physicians and nurses.

“It is bitter to see that a lot of people tend to have negative thoughts about doctors due to the ongoing conflict between the government and medical community,” Kim said.

‘In reality, a considerable number of medical professors and healthcare staff dedicate their lives around-the-clock to their patients. And I am grateful for their service, effort and passion and hope the current impasse will be resolved smoothly.”

BY RHEE ESHTER, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]