Use of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in pediatric cardiac arrest: lifesaving rescue

ECPR remains a valuable intervention for rescuing children after refractory cardiac arrest. Current resuscitation guidelines endorse ECPR for pediatric cardiac patients. Although outcomes are encouraging, ECPR remains a complex intervention associated with considerable morbidity, mortality, and resource requirements, including significant financial and personnel investment. Future research should focus on identifying patient-specific predictors of benefit, refining selection criteria, and optimizing peri-arrest and post-ECPR management strategies.