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4533
qualitative
journal
Rivas, Titus, M.A., M.Sc., and Rudolf H. Smit. "A Near-Death Experience with Veridical Perception Described by a Famous Heart Surgeon and Confirmed by his Assistant Surgeon." Journal of Near-Death Studies 31, no. 3 (Spring 2013): 179-186. Patient: Unknown Name. Case 1.
Journal of Near-Death Studies, Vol. 31, No. 3, Pages 179-186, 2013
1999
2013
M
During cardiac valve resection surgery at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane, Washington, a male patient with an infected native valve experienced complete cardiac arrest after being unable to wean from cardiopulmonary bypass. After multiple attempts failed, the surgical team pronounced him dead after 20-25 minutes with no heartbeat, blood pressure, or respiratory function. All monitoring equipment showed flatlines while the anesthesia machine was turned off.
The patient spontaneously revived approximately 20-25 minutes after clinical death was declared. Multiple monitoring devices confirmed the absence of any cardiac or brain activity during this period. The trans-esophageal echocardiogram showed no heart movement, and the continuous paper readout recorded no vital signs. When electrical activity suddenly returned, it began slowly at 30-40 beats per minute before normalizing. During his death state, the patient reported floating above the operating room and observing specific details. He saw Dr. Lloyd Rudy and Dr. Roberto Cattaneo standing in the doorway with their arms folded, discussing the case in their short-sleeve shirts. Most remarkably, he observed Post-it notes with phone messages stuck to a monitor screen - details that were placed during the surgery and could not have been known beforehand. He also correctly described the anesthesiologist leaving and then returning to the room. The patient made a complete recovery with no neurological deficits. Both cardiac surgeons independently confirmed all observations as completely accurate. Dr. Cattaneo verified that the patient's eyes were taped shut during surgery and that the Post-it note observation was particularly evidential since these messages accumulated during the procedure. This case provides exceptional veridical evidence of perception during clinical death.
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Hospital
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25
82
Exceptional Evidence
22
Perfect medical context score: documented cardiac arrest with continuous monitoring showing flatline for 20-25 minutes, eyes taped, under deep anesthesia, trans-esophageal echo confirmed no heart activity
Multiple specific veridical observations including Post-it notes placed during surgery that patient could not have known, exact positions of surgeons, anesthesiologist movements
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7/23/2025
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