A successful extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for severe status asthmaticus with an ultra-long cardiac arrest

Am J Emerg Med. 2022 Dec:62:145.e5-145.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2022.08.056. Epub 2022 Sep 6.

Abstract

The mortality of severe asthma with cardiac arrest is still close to 100% even if it is treated with conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CCPR). Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) has been widely accepted as an alternative method when CCPR is futile. However, the maximum "low-flow" duration has not been well defined. Here, we reported a 55-year-old male with severe asthma with cardiac arrest, who was successfully treated with ECPR after 100 min of ultra-long CCPR. He was withdrawn from extracorporeal membrane oxygenator and ventilator at 72 h and 14 days after admission respectively and was discharged without permanent neurologic sequelae. This case illustrates the critical role of ECPR as a last resort in near-fatal asthma. For such patients with bystander, starting ECPR after >60 min of CCPR can still obtain satisfactory prognoses.

Keywords: Asthma; Emergency medicine; Extracorporeal life support; Intensive care; Resuscitation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation*
  • Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation*
  • Heart Arrest* / etiology
  • Heart Arrest* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest* / therapy
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Status Asthmaticus* / complications
  • Status Asthmaticus* / therapy