Pediatric Resuscitation: Outcome Effects of Location, Intervention, and Duration

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is performed in order to restore oxygen delivery and prevent multiorgan system failure and death. Prompt initiation of CPR with appropriate medical or surgical therapy may shorten arrest duration before irreversible organ injury occurs. The brain is most susceptible to irreversible anoxic injury. Survival data suggests that children are more likely than adults to survive and have good neurologic outcomes following cardiac arrest. In this review of pediatric resuscitation, we discuss important predictors of postarrest outcomes as well as advances in resuscitation science focusing on the critical importance of oxygen delivery during periarrest care.