title: Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for refractory ventricular fibrillation. A rescue bridge to reperfusion.
abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests benefit of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (E-CPR) in patients with refractory cardiac arrest by using venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Appropriate patient selection for E-CPR is cumbersome and still debated. We describe a 56-year-old male who developed refractory ventricular fibrillation upon arrival at the emergency department and was successfully treated by urgent E-CPR. Patient selection, complications and the need to adapt the chain of survival are discussed.
authors.forename: Anna P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Thijs S R
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Delnoij
authors.forename: Dirk W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Donker
mesh_terms: D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015425:Myocardial Reperfusion; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy*