Assessing the Feasibility of Implementing an Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Program

Introduction Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) has been used to improve survival in select cardiac arrest patients. Success is linked to patient volume, with centers classified as low (0-6), medium (7-12), or high (>12) volume based on annual cases. We hypothesize that Cooper has a large enough eligible patient population to benefit from implementation of an ECPR program. Methods Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients transported to Cooper Hospital over six years were assessed for eCPR candidacy via retrospective chart review. In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) eCPR data was also collected and combined with OHCA data to project annual eCPR volume. The crtieria set forth by the ELSO Interim Guideline Consensus Statement was utilized as inclusion criteria with the age criteria lowered from 75 to 65 years old. Exclusion criteria: age over 65, unwitnessed arrest, non-shockable initial rhythm, lack of by-stander CPR, or end-stage medical condition. Results Out of 1,399 identified OHCA patients, 30 met eCPR criteria. On average, 5 OHCA patients per year were eligible for eCPR. Additionally, 6 IHCA patients received eCPR in 2023, resulting in a projected volume of 11 eCPR cases annually. Discussion With an estimated 11 eCPR cases per year, our center qualifies as a medium-volume facility.