Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Adults With Cardiac Arrest

J Intensive Care Med. 2016 Jul;31(6):359-68. doi: 10.1177/0885066615583651. Epub 2015 Apr 28.

Abstract

Cardiac arrest (CA) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the use of conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), rates of return of spontaneous circulation and survival with minimal neurologic impairment remain low. Utilization of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for CA in adults is steadily increasing. Propensity-matched cohort studies have reported outcomes associated with ECMO use to be superior to that of conventional CPR alone in in-hospital patients with CA. In this review, we discuss the mechanism, indications, complications, and evidence for ECMO in CA in adults.

Keywords: Cardiac Arrest (CA); Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR); Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO).

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support / methods*
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation* / methods
  • Evidence-Based Emergency Medicine
  • Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* / methods
  • Heart Arrest / mortality
  • Heart Arrest / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Risk Factors
  • Treatment Outcome