# The Role of Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Pediatric Intraoperative Cardiac Arrest

## TL;DR

This paper describes a successful use of ECPR during a rare pediatric cardiac arrest during surgery, highlighting its life-saving potential.

## Contribution

The paper presents a case report demonstrating the effectiveness of intraoperative ECPR in a pediatric patient.

## Key findings

- The patient recovered fully without neurological damage after ECPR.
- Prompt ECMO team activation and multidisciplinary coordination were critical for success.
- The case highlights ECPR's potential in refractory pediatric cardiac arrest.

## Abstract

Refractory pediatric intraoperative cardiac arrest is a rare but challenging situation for the anesthesiologist. This case describes an intraoperative extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in a 16-year-old male who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during elective thoracolumbar stabilization. The patient recovered to his pre-operative baseline without any neurological sequela secondary to cardiac arrest. Good quality of conventional resuscitation measures, prompt activation of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) team, and a multidisciplinary coordinated approach were key factors in ECPR success. Despite the lack of robust evidence in pediatrics, case reports like ours outline the life-saving potential of intraoperative ECPR in refractory cardiac arrest scenarios.