Lazarus syndrome? Newborn declared dead, comes to life, dies days later

A family in Davao City is grieving their newborn son who was declared dead at a hospital, showed signs of life hours later at home, and then died after two days of treatment.

The infant was born prematurely on August 23 inside a tricycle and was rushed to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) by a 911 emergency team. Doctors attempted to revive him but declared the baby dead on arrival. The family was given his body in an unsealed cardboard box and transported him to their home in Brgy. Gumalang.

Upon opening the box at home, the family discovered the infant was still breathing. They immediately returned him to SPMC, where he was placed in an incubator. The baby survived for two more days before passing away on Monday, August 25.

SPMC Medical Center Chief Dr. Ricardo Audan provided two possible explanations for the brief revival. He cited a rare medical phenomenon called Lazarus syndrome, where a person's circulation spontaneously returns after resuscitation efforts have failed. Audan also noted that the cardboard box might have helped preserve the baby's body heat, inadvertently creating a stable thermal environment.

A family member expressed frustration with the hospital's handling of the situation, stating the baby still had traces of blood on his skin when he was sent home. Dr. Audan addressed the complaint directly.

'The skin of a preterm baby is terribly fragile,' he told local media, explaining that a more aggressive cleaning could have caused injury.

Weighing just 800 grams and with only a faint heartbeat, the baby's fight for life was an uphill battle. According to Audan, this was the first such incident to happen at SPMC, and the hospital is willing to meet with the grieving family to discuss the case.

The brief moment of hope, followed by a second loss, has left the family and the community heartbroken.