Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 15:46 — 14.5MB)

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Who Gets ECPR and Who Doesn't?

Great question! This may be the hardest question we deal with when a patient arrives and ECPR is a consideration.

This episode is broken down into three parts:

1. Who exactly do we consider an appropriate candidate for ECPR?
2. TOR = Termination of Resuscitation in the pre-hospital arena and why we HATE it!
3. Pre-hospital ECPR – REALLY?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:07 — 6.5MB)

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In this episode, Joe and Zack discuss some of the terminology and basics of ECMO and ECLS.

Terminology: (Synonyms)

• ECMO = Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
• ECLS = Extracorporeal Life Support
• CPS = Cardiopulmonary Support
• ECPR (extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation)=ECLS initiation in the arresting patient

ECPR candidates:

• STEMI with refractory VFIB
• PE with shock or dysrythmia
• Aortic Dissection
• Massive OD
• Pregnant with Amniotic fluid embolus
• Hypothermia with temperature-dependent dysrythmia
• Trauma

Future podcast episodes will drill down into the details of ECMO initiation, but in this episode Zack and Joe discuss Zack's recent case where Zack did it all: managed the code…placed the cannulas…and initiated bypass, right there in the Emergency Department.