E-CPR improves pediatric cardiopulmonary arrest survival
Cardiopulmonary arrest survival: Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (E-CPR) using extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO) has been in use for resuscitation of refractory cardiac arrest and has earned its place in the 2015 AHA guidelines. A study published in Circulation [1] evaluated the effectiveness of E-CPR in a section of 3756 pediatric patients undergoing conventional CPR for 10 or more minutes after in hospital cardiac arrest. 591 (16%) received E-CPR while 3165 received only conventional CPR. The survival to hospital discharge was 40% in those who received E-CPR while it was only 27% in those who received only conventional CPR. The neurological outcome was also better in those who received E-CPR. Neurological outcome was assessed by Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score. Favourable was a score of 1-3 or unchanged from admission. The improved outcome was noted even after excluding pediatric cardiac surgical patients.
Reference
- Lasa JJ, Rogers RS, Localio R, Shults J, Raymond T, Gaies M, Thiagarajan R, Laussen PC, Kilbaugh T, Berg RA, Nadkarni V, Topjian A. Extracorporeal-Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (E-CPR) During Pediatric In-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Arrest is Associated with Improved Survival to Discharge: A Report from the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines® – Resuscitation Registry (GWTG-R). Circulation. 2016; 133: 165-176.