Minimizing reperfusion injuries: Successful resuscitation using eCPR after cardiac arrest on a post-operative norwood patient

In patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), the left ventricle is too small to circulate adequate oxygenated blood. If left untreated, HLHS is fatal. A 3-staged palliative procedure ultimately leading to a single ventricle physiology is the preferred management strategy for HLHS in most pediatric cardiac centers in the United States. In this report, a 1-month-old infant developed cardiac arrest 3 weeks after undergoing a Norwood procedure as an initial palliation for HLHS. After 151 minutes of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with intermittent, but non-sustainable return of spontaneous circulation, extracorporeal cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) was used. Utilizing the carotid artery and internal jugular vein for cannulation, we connected our extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) circuit to the patient. To minimize reperfusion injury, immediate cooling, arterial/venous shunting, minimal calcium, and hemodilution strategies were used. Once paCO₂/pvCO ₂ gradients were minimized, we instituted sweep gas and gradually increased fiO₂ as pH normalized. The patient was successfully weaned from ECMO and discharged. eCPR was used successfully in the resuscitation of this patient and reperfusion injuries were minimized despite prolonged CPR.