Introduction In this systematic review and meta‐analysis of propensity score‐matched cohort studies, we quantitatively summarize whether venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA‐ECMO) used as extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), compared with conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CCPR), is associated with improved rates of 30‐day and long‐term favorable neurological outcomes and survival in patients resuscitated from in‐ and out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest. Methods We searched MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar for eligible studies on January 14, 2019. All searches were limited to studies published between January 2000 and January 2019. Two investigators independently evaluated the quality (or certainty) of evidence according to GRADE guidelines. Pooled results are presented as relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Six cohort studies using propensity score‐matched analysis were included, totaling 1108 matched patients. Pooled analyses showed that ECPR was likely associated with improved 30‐day and long‐term favorable neurological outcome in adults compared to CCPR for in‐ and out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (RR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.29–3.16; I2 = 20%, P = 0.002; very low‐quality evidence) and (RR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.64–5.01; I2 = 0%, P = 0.0002; moderate‐quality evidence), respectively. When we analyzed in‐ and out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest separately, ECPR was likely associated with improved 30‐day favorable neurological outcome compared to CCPR for in‐hospital cardiac arrest (RR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.24–3.81; I2 = 9%, P = 0.006; very low‐quality evidence), but not for out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (RR = 2.61, 95% CI = 0.56–12.20; I2 = 59%, P = 0.22; very low‐quality evidence). ECPR was also likely associated with improved long‐term favorable neurological outcome compared to CCPR for in‐hospital cardiac arrest (RR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.33–4.71; I2 = 0%, P = 0.005; moderate‐quality evidence) and out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (RR = 4.64, 95% CI = 1.41–15.25; I2 = 0%, P = 0.01; moderate‐quality evidence). Conclusions Our analysis suggests that VA‐ECMO used as ECPR may improve long‐term favorable neurological outcomes and survival when compared to the best standard of care in a selected patient population. Therefore, it is imperative for well‐designed randomized clinical trials to obtain a higher level of scientific evidence to ensure optimal outcomes for cardiac arrest patients.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

The incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) reported from the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC) and the CARES registry in 2016 suggests that 110.8 individuals per 100,000 population or 347,000 adults annually suffer from OHCA in the United States (US); likewise, the incidence of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) reported by Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation (GWTG-R) suggests that each year, 209,000 people are treated for IHCA. Double sequential defibrillation (DSD) has been proposed as an alternative treatment for refractory ventricular fibrillation (VF) as there appears to be a trend of promising outcomes, including termination of refractory VF, sustained ROSC, increased short term survival and favorable outcomes to hospital discharge. We report a case of prolonged resuscitation of an 72-year-old man who developed pulseless ventricular tachycardia (pVT) that progressed to refractory VF terminated by DSD. In addition, we provide a quick reference that summarizes the characteristics and resuscitative parameters of the reported case.

Double defibrillation (DD) has been proposed as an alternative treatment for patients with refractory ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VF/pVT) out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) nonresponsive to the best current standard of care. Treatment results are promising, but the efficacy and safety of the procedure remain unclear. Currently, there is a paucity of evidence in the literature on DD suggesting the optimal strategy for treating this challenging patient population. Thus, we aim to perform a scoping review to explore the current literature addressing resuscitative parameters, survival rates, and neurological outcomes in refractory VF/pVT OHCA patients treated with DD as well as to identify gaps in the literature that may require further research. Here, we discuss the anticipated study protocol.