title: Abdominal only CPR during cardiac arrest for a patient with an LVAD during resternotomy: a case report.
abstract: We present a case in which a patient with a previous sternotomy and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation developed cardiac arrest during resternotomy for LVAD exchange. The surgeon refused chest compressions for fear of potential damage to the inflow cannula directly beneath the sternum. The perioperative team had no alternatives to external cardiac massage other than rapid deployment of extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation for mechanical support, so the anesthesiologist advised the nursing personnel to perform abdominal only cardiopulmonary resuscitation while the surgeon performed a femoral bypass to cannulate the groin for extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation support.
authors.affiliation: The Ohio State University Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Rottenberg
authors.forename: Jarrett
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heard
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hamlin
authors.forename: Benjamin C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Hamdy
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Awad
mesh_terms: D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000379:methods*; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D056346:Sternotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*