The Role of Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Pediatric Intraoperative Cardiac Arrest

Refractory pediatric intraoperative cardiac arrest is a rare but challenging situation for the anesthesiologist. This case describes an intraoperative extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in a 16-year-old male who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during elective thoracolumbar stabilization. The patient recovered to his pre-operative baseline without any neurological sequela secondary to cardiac arrest. Good quality of conventional resuscitation measures, prompt activation of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) team, and a multidisciplinary coordinated approach were key factors in ECPR success. Despite the lack of robust evidence in pediatrics, case reports like ours outline the life-saving potential of intraoperative ECPR in refractory cardiac arrest scenarios.