title: Therapeutic hypothermia after prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation for pulseless electrical activity.
abstract: We report an 18-year-old female patient with cardiac arrest due to pulseless electrical activity caused by a massive pulmonary embolism. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was continued for more than one hour. Although the initial clinical signs and symptoms suggested poor outcome, immediate intravenous thrombolysis was instituted. After return of spontaneous circulation (75 minutes) the patient was still comatose and mild therapeutic hypothermia (32.5 degrees C) was instituted for brain protection during the first 24 hours. She recovered uneventfully without neurological deficit. Therapeutic hypothermia may be effective for neuroprotection in non-VFcardiac arrest.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Gelderse Vallei Hospital, Ede, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.forename: D H T
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Tjan
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Reussen
authors.forename: A R H
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: van Zanten
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D003128:Coma / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications