Use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Adult Patients During Cardiac Arrest

ABSTRACT

Abstract Background Integrated extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the treatment of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is described as extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). It is used to ensure recovery of cardiac output when it is not possible to obtain sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) through conventional CPR methods. The comparison between ECPR and conventional CPR is a dilemma that has been frequently discussed. Objective To identify in the literature the use of ECMO in adult patients during cardiac arrest (CA) in and pre- and in-hospital settings. Method This is an integrative review using the following guiding question What is the evidence in the literature on the use of ECMO in adult patients with cardiorespiratory arrest in the pre- and in-hospital setting? It consists of primary studies, published in full and available in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. Results The search identified 559 publications in the literature, of which 13 were articles read in full, after applying the inclusion criteria. Of these, 3 were disregarded due to unavailability in the complete format; 7 did not respond to the guiding question, and 3 studies were included. The studies were analyzed according to the 2020 version of the PRISMA Model. Conclusion ECPR is a practice adopted when CPR is refractory to conventional life support and concomitantly with this management. There are no significant differences in the rate of favorable neurological outcomes when comparing the pre- and in-hospital scenarios. In short, the development of institutional protocols with selection and exclusion criteria for ECPR is considered relevant.