In Blunt Traumatic Cardiac Arrest, Does It Really Matter Who Performs Prehospital Advanced Life Support?

JAMA Surgery ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 153 (6) ◽  
pp. e180675
Author(s):  
Sandra DiBrito ◽  
Elliott R. Haut
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique Savary ◽  
François Morin ◽  
Delphine Douillet ◽  
Thierry Roupioz ◽  
François Xavier Ageron ◽  
...  

Abstract The management of Out of hospital Traumatic Cardiac Arrest (TCA) for professional rescuers combines advanced life support with specifics actions to treat potential reversible causes of the arrest: hypovolemia, hypoxemia, Tension Pneumothorax (TPx) and tamponade. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of specific rescue gestures on short-term outcomes in the context of resuscitation of patients with a pre-hospital TCA.Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of all TCA treated in two emergency medical units (EM unit), which are part of the Northern Alps emergency network, from January 2004 to December 2017. Utstein variables and specific rescue actions in TCA were compiled: advanced airway management, fluid administration, pelvic stabilization or tourniquet application, bilateral thoracostomy, and thoracotomy procedures. The primary end point was the survival rate at day 30 with good neurologic outcome (cerebral performance category [CPC] score 1 & 2).Results: 287 resuscitations attempt in TCA were included and 279 specific interventions were Identified: 262 Fluid expansion, 41 External Pelvic stabilizations, 5 tourniquets, 175 bilateral thoracostomies, (including 44 with TPx).Conclusion: Among standard resuscitation measures to treat reversible causes of cardiac arrest, we were able to show that bilateral thoracostomy and tourniquet application on a limb hemorrhage improves survival of TCA. A larger sample for pelvic stabilization is necessary.


Author(s):  
Dominique Savary ◽  
François Morin ◽  
Delphine Douillet ◽  
Adrien Drouet ◽  
François Xavier Ageron ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: The management of out-of-hospital traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) for professional rescuers entails Advanced Life Support (ALS) with specific actions to treat the potential reversible causes of the arrest: hypovolemia, hypoxemia, tension pneumothorax (TPx), and tamponade. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of specific rescue measures on short-term outcomes in the context of resuscitating patients with a TCA. Methods: This retrospective study concerns all TCA patients treated in two emergency medical units, which are part of the Northern French Alps Emergency Network (RENAU), from January 2004 through December 2017. Utstein variables and specific rescue measures in TCA were compiled: fluid expansion, pelvic stabilization, tourniquet application, bilateral thoracostomy, and thoracotomy procedures. The primary endpoint was survival rate at Day 30 with good neurological status (Cerebral Performance Category [CPC] score CPC 1 and CPC 2). Results: In total, 287 resuscitation attempts in TCA were included and 279 specific interventions were identified: 262 fluid expansions, 41 pelvic stabilizations, five tourniquets, and 175 bilateral thoracostomies (including 44 with TPx). Conclusion: Among the standard resuscitation measures to treat the reversible causes of cardiac arrest, this study found that bilateral thoracostomy and tourniquet application on a limb hemorrhage improve survival in TCA. A larger sample for pelvic stabilization is needed.


Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasmus Aagaard ◽  
Philip Caap ◽  
Nicolaj C Hansson ◽  
Morten T Bøtker ◽  
Asger Granfeldt ◽  
...  

Introduction: Survival from non-shockable cardiac arrest is unlikely unless a reversible cause is identified and treated. Guidelines state that ultrasound has the potential to identify reversible causes. Currently, ultrasonographic findings from patients with spontaneous circulation are extrapolated to patients in cardiac arrest. While right ventricular (RV) dilation is a finding normally associated with pulmonary embolism (PE), porcine studies have shown that RV dilation is also seen in ventricular fibrillation (VF) and severe hypoxia. No studies have investigated how causes of cardiac arrest affect RV size during resuscitation. Hypothesis: The RV diameter is larger during resuscitation of cardiac arrest caused by PE when compared to hypoxia and VF. Methods: Pigs were anesthetized and randomized to cardiac arrest induced by VF, hypoxia, or PE. Advanced life support (ALS) was preceded by 7 minutes of untreated cardiac arrest. Cardiac ultrasound images of the RV from a subcostal 5-chamber view were obtained during induction of cardiac arrest and ALS. The RV diameter was measured two centimeters from the aortic valve at end diastole. RV diameter at 3rd rhythm analysis was the primary endpoint. Based on pilot studies a sample size of 8 animals in each group was needed. Results: Eight animals were included in each group. RV diameter was not statistically different at baseline (mean (95%CI)) in VF: 19.8 (18.0-21.5) mm, hypoxia: 19.8 (16.6-22.9) mm, and PE: 21.8 (19.2-24.3) mm. During induction of cardiac arrest the RV diameter increased to 29.6 (27.3-31.9) mm in the hypoxia group and 38.0 (33.4-42.6) mm in the PE group (difference to baseline and between groups, both p<0.01). Induction of VF caused an immediate increase in the RV diameter to 25.0 (21.2-28.8) mm (difference to baseline p<0.01). At 3rd rhythm analysis, RV diameter was 32.4 (28.6-36.2) mm in the PE group, which was significantly larger than both the hypoxia group at 23.3 (19.5-27.0) mm and the VF group at 24.9 (22.2-27.5) mm (difference between groups p<0.01). Conclusions: Cardiac arrest due to VF, hypoxia, and PE all caused an increase in RV diameter. During resuscitation the RV was larger in PE compared to VF and hypoxia. Cardiac ultrasound thus has the potential to detect PE during resuscitation.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haewon Jung ◽  
Mijin Lee ◽  
Jae Wan Cho ◽  
Sang Hun Lee ◽  
Suk Hee Lee ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Futile resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients in the coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 era can lead to risk of disease transmission and unnecessary transport. Various existing basic or advanced life support (BLS or ALS, respectively) rules for the termination of resuscitation (TOR) have been derived and validated in North America and Asian countries. This study aimed to evaluate the external validation of these rules in predicting the survival outcomes of OHCA patients in the COVID-19 era.Methods: This was a multicenter observational study using the WinCOVID-19 Daegu registry data collected during February 18–March 31, 2020. The subjects were patients who showed cardiac arrest of presumed cardiac etiology. The outcomes of each rule were compared to the actual patient survival outcomes. The sensitivity, specificity, false positive value (FPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) of each TOR rule were evaluated. Results: In total, 170 of the 184 OHCA patients were eligible and evaluated. TOR was recommended for 122 patients based on the international basic life support termination of resuscitation (BLS-TOR) rule, which showed 85% specificity, 74% sensitivity, 0.8% FPV, and 99% PPV for predicting unfavorable survival outcomes. When the traditional BLS-TOR rules and KoCARC TOR rule II were applied to our registry, one patient met the TOR criteria but survived at hospital discharge. With regard to the FPV (upper limit of 95% confidence interval <5%), specificity (100%), and PPV (>99%) criteria, only the KoCARC TOR rule I, which included a combination of three factors including not being witnessed by emergency medical technicians, presenting with an asystole at the scene, and not experiencing prehospital shock delivery or return of spontaneous circulation, was found to be superior to all other TOR rules. Conclusion: Among the previous nine BLS and ALS TOR rules, KoCARC TOR rule I was most suitable for predicting poor survival outcomes and showed improved diagnostic performance. Further research on variations in resources and treatment protocols among facilities, regions, and cultures will be useful in determining the feasibility of TOR rules for COVID-19 patients worldwide.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pramod Chandru ◽  
Tatum Priyambada Mitra ◽  
Nitesh Dutt Dhanekula ◽  
Mark Dennis ◽  
Adam Eslick ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Refractory out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is associated with extremely poor outcomes. However, in selected patients extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) may be an effective rescue therapy, allowing time treat reversible causes. The primary goal was to estimate the potential future caseload of eCPR at historically 'low-volume' extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) centres. Methods A 3-year observational study of OHCA presenting to the Emergency Department (ED of an urban referral centre without historical protocolised use of eCPR. Demographics and standard Utstein outcomes are reported. Further, an a priori analysis of each case for potential eCPR eligibility was conducted. A current eCPR selection criteria (from the 2-CHEER study) was used to determine eligibly. Results In the study window 248 eligible cardiac arrest cases were included in the OHCA registry. 30-day survival was 23.4% (n=58). The mean age of survivors was 55.4 years. 17 (6.8%) cases were deemed true refractory arrests and fulfilled the 2-CHEER eligibility criteria. The majority of these cases presented within “office hours” and no case obtained a return of spontaneous circulation standard advanced life support. Conclusions In this contemporary OHCA registry a significant number of refractory cases were deemed potential eCPR candidates reflecting a need for future interdisciplinary work to support delivery of this therapy.


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