Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support can extend the duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation

To evaluate the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation and to estimate how long cardiopulmonary resuscitation can be extended with acceptable results.

Review of consecutive adult in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation patients without return of spontaneous circulation in 10 mins and with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation rescue, and analysis of the relationship between outcome and cardiopulmonary resuscitation duration and possible etiologies. The data were collected following the Utstein style guidelines on in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Two organ dysfunction scores were incorporated into the analysis for outcome prediction.

A university-affiliated tertiary referral medical center and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation center.

An observational cohort study in 135 consecutive adult in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation patients without return of spontaneous circulation who received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

The average cardiopulmonary resuscitation duration was 55.7 +/- 27.0 mins and 56.3% of patients received subsequent interventions to treat underlying etiologies. The successful weaning rate was 58.5% and the survival-to-discharge rate was 34.1%. The majority of survivors (89%) had an acceptable neurologic status on discharge. Risk factors for hospital mortality included longer cardiopulmonary resuscitation duration, etiology of acute coronary syndrome, and a higher organ dysfunction score in the first 24 hrs. Logistic regression analysis revealed the probability of survival was approximately 0.5, 0.3, or 0.1 when the duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was 30, 60, or 90 mins, respectively.

Assisted circulation might extend the presently accepted duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in adult in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation patients.