Cardiac arrest with refractory ventricular fibrillation: a successful resuscitation using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a form of a mechanical cardiopulmonary life-support system and an adjunct to prolonged cardiac resuscitation. The ECMO results in good outcomes for patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest. We present a case of a 52-year-old man with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest caused by refractory ventricular fibrillation. The patient was referred to our emergency department with suspected acute coronary syndrome. Cardiac arrest with ventricular fibrillation was refractory to conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In this case, the ECMO–cardiopulmonary resuscitation provided cardiopulmonary life support for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, achieving a sustained return of spontaneous circulation that allowed prompt percutaneous coronary intervention and a good recovery.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Changhua Christian Medical Center, 500 Changhua City, Taiwan. 96406@cch.org.tw
Chun-Chieh
CC
Chiu
Chun-wen
CW
Chiu
Ying-Cheng
YC
Chen
Fu-Yuan
FY
Siao
D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / Q000379:methods*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy*