Cardiac Advanced Life Support–Surgical Guideline

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Herrmann

Cardiac arrest in the immediate postoperative recovery period in a patient who underwent cardiac surgery is typically related to reversible causes—tamponade, bleeding, ventricular arrhythmias, or heart blocks associated with conduction problems. When treated promptly, 17% to 79% of patients who experience cardiac arrest after cardiac surgery survive to discharge. The Cardiac Advanced Life Support–Surgical (CALS-S) guideline provides a standardized algorithm approach to resuscitation of patients who experience cardiac arrest after cardiac surgery. The purpose of this article is to discuss the CALS-S guideline and how to implement it.

2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 30-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Jill Ley

Of the 250 000 patients who undergo major cardiac operations in the United States annually, 0.7% to 2.9% will experience a postoperative cardiac arrest. Although Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is the standard approach to management of cardiac arrest in the United States, it has significant limitations in these patients. The European Resuscitation Council (ERC) has endorsed a new guideline specific to resuscitation after cardiac surgery that advises important, evidence-based deviations from ACLS and is under consideration in the United States. The ACLS and ERC recommendations for resuscitation of these patients are contrasted on the basis of the essential components of care. Key to this approach is the rapid elimination of reversible causes of arrest, followed by either defibrillation or pacing (as appropriate) before external cardiac compressions that can damage the sternotomy, cautious use of epinephrine owing to potential rebound hypertension, and prompt resternotomy (within 5 minutes) to promote optimal cerebral perfusion with internal massage, if prior interventions are unsuccessful. These techniques are relatively simple, reproducible, and easily mastered in Cardiac Surgical Unit–Advanced Life Support courses. Resuscitation of patients after heart surgery presents a unique opportunity to achieve high survival rates with key modifications to ACLS that warrant adoption in the United States.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-61
Author(s):  
Bhargavi Gali ◽  
◽  
Grace Arteaga ◽  
Glen Au ◽  
Vitaly Herasevich

Background: Advanced life support interventions have been modified for patients who have recently undergone sternotomy for cardiac surgery and have new suture lines. We aimed to determine whether the use of in-situ simulation increased adherence to the cardiac surgery unit-advanced life support algorithm (CSU-ALS) for patients with cardiac arrest after cardiac surgery (CAACS). Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of cardiac arrest management of patients who sustained CAACS before and after implementation of in-situ simulation scenarios utilizing CSU-ACLS in place of traditional advanced cardiac life support. We utilized classroom education of CSU-ACLS followed by in-situ high-fidelity simulated scenarios of patients with CAACS.. Interprofessional learners (n = 210) participated in 18 in-situ simulations of CAACS. Two groups of patients with CAACS were retrospectively compared before and after in situ training (preimplementation, n=22 vs postimplementation, n=38). Outcomes included adherence to CSU-ALS for resuscitation, delay in initiation of chest compressions, use of defibrillation and pacing before external cardiac massage, and time to initial medication. Results: Chest compressions were used less often in the postimplementation vs the preimplementation period (11/22 [29%] vs 13/38 [59%], P = 0.02). Time to initial medication administration, use of defibrillation and pacing, return to the operating room, and survival were similar between periods. Conclusion: In this pilot, adherence to a key component of the CSU-ALS algorithm—delaying initiation of chest compressions—improved


Author(s):  
Moslem Abdelghafar ◽  
Taher Abdelmoiem ◽  
Alaa Mohamed ◽  
Mohamed Abdalla

Aim: Cardiac surgery patients have different resuscitative needs than other patients who experience in-hospital cardiac arrest, this was addressed in the guidelines. However, it is unknown how widely the guidelines are practiced, or a training protocol is followed in different cardiac surgery units in Egypt. Methods: A 21-question survey is created and included: Participants demographics, Prevalence of cardiac arrest, Cardiac arrest protocol, Emergency resternotomy technique, Training protocols. Survey was disseminated through social media messaging platforms during the period between November 2020 and January 2021. Results: 95 responses were from 11 centres across Egypt. 68.5% of the respondents were surgeons, 76.8% of participants were junior surgeons. For patients who go into VF after cardiac surgery, respondents would attempt a median of 3 shocks with only 24.2% commencing defibrillation shocks before external cardiac massage, while the majority initiating CPR immediately and performing emergency resternotomy in a median time of 10 mins. 56.8% would give 1 mg of adrenaline as soon the cardiac arrest was established. If a surgeon was not available, only 36.8% of respondents would allow any trained personnel to perform the emergency resternotomy. Only 9.5% practice regularly on emergency sternotomies. 75% think tailored training is important and staff should be oriented about it in the future. Conclusion: An action plan is required to improve the awareness of the junior surgeons with the Cardiac Advanced Life Support Protocol.


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.


Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 138 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Grunau ◽  
Takahisa Kawano ◽  
John Tallon ◽  
Frank Scheuermeyer ◽  
Joshua Reynolds ◽  
...  

Objective: There is conflicting data in studies investigating the effectiveness of advanced life support (ALS) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Within a tiered BLS-ALS system, we sought to determine if the ALS response interval was associated with patient outcomes. Methods: This secondary analysis examined prospectively identified consecutive non-traumatic adult OHCAs from 2006-2016 in British Columbia. We excluded EMS-witnessed arrests and those not treated by ALS. The primary and secondary outcomes were survival and favorable neurological outcomes (mRS ≤3) at hospital discharge. Using logistic regression we estimated the association of ALS response interval (9-1-1 call to ALS arrival) and outcomes, adjusting for treatment year, response interval of the first EMS unit, and other baseline characteristics. We drew spline curves to illustrate this relationship. Results: Of 12,722 included cases, survival was 12%. The median response interval for the first EMS unit was 6.4 minutes (IQR 5.2 - 8.3) and for ALS was 11.8 minutes (IQR 8.7 - 16.5).The adjusted odds of survival and favourable neurological outcome for each additional minute in ALS response interval were 0.98 (95 % CI 0.96-0.99) and 0.98, (95% CI 0.97-0.99) respectively. The spline curve demonstrated an initial decline in survival probability that moderated at approximately 11 minutes. Conclusion: Among ALS-treated subjects within our tiered EMS system, earlier ALS arrival was associated with improved survival and favorable neurological outcomes. The greatest yield of ALS care may be prior to 11 minutes. This may help inform the optimal deployment configuration of prehospital providers.


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