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Selecting an Adult with Refractory Cardiac Arrest for Extracorporeal Life Support

Description

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) can be life-saving for an adult with refractory cardiac arrest, but the patient must be carefully selected. The mortality rate associated with ECLS for refractory cardiac arrest is high, as is the risk for severe neurologic damage.


 

Patient: adult with refractory cardiac arrest

 

The patient who is likely to benefit from ECLS has all of the following:

(1) a witnessed in-hospital arrest

(2) a favorable cause for the cardiac arrest (myocarditis, drug overdose or other reversible cause)

(3) younger age

(4) absence of severe comorbid conditions

(5) early initiation of ECLS prior to severe end-organ damage and prior to cardiac massage

 

Early initiation of hypothermia may improve the patient's outcome.

 


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Specialty

ICD-10