Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation

ECPR is defined as the rapidly-deployed application of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, in patients with cardiac arrest, during cardiopulmonary resuscitation before the return of ROSC. ECPR is one of the most rapidly growing segments of ECLS, and is becoming more widespread. Consideration for institution of ECPR is given to patients with witnessed arrest, good quality CPR instituted within 5 min of arrest, in whom ROSC does not occur within 15 min, and who can complete cannulation within 30–60 min. Patients from both inpatient and out-of-hospital settings are candidates if they meet these criteria. Deep hypothermic cardiac arrest, such as cold-water drowning, should receive consideration for ECPR even after considerable duration of arrest. Available outcome data are based on retrospective observation studies, some with propensity matching, and suggests a higher chance for survival with ECPR. Published outcomes from ECPR, however, are difficult to interpret, since many centers classify their use of ECLS after ROSC, in addition to ECLS before ROSC, as ECPR. Both children and adults are candidates for ECPR, but the experience in children is weighted heavily toward those with a diagnosis of cardiac disease and arrest occurring within closely monitored units.