Abstract 261: Acute Lung Injury and Recovery in Patients with Refractory Vf/vt Cardiac Arrest Treated with Prolonged Cpr and Veno Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Abstract

Background: Post cardiac arrest syndrome includes significant pulmonary injury that is not clearly understood. Objectives: Describe the lung injury patterns among patients presenting with refractory ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (VT/VF OHCA) patients who were treated with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). Methods: OHCA characteristics, post-arrest computed tomography (CT) scans, ventilator parameters and complications were collected using a retrospective cohort design. Changes in lung compliance were compared over time between survivors, patients with acute brain death and those who had other modes of death with a two- way analysis of variance. Results: Among138 refractory VT/VF OHCA patients (81% were male with a median age of 59.0 years, mean CPR time of 64.3 ±16.1 min, a mean APACHE II score of 30.5 ± 4.6) 48/138 (34.8%) survived, acute brain death occurred in 48/138 (34.8%) and other modes of death in 56/138 (40.6%). The dependent posterior segments of the lung were the most commonly affected areas on the initial CT scan(Fig1A). There was no difference in the number of hyperattenuated areas between the survival groups.Compliance was borderline on day one (median 26.3(19.3,33.3)ml/cmH 2 0), but improved throughout the hospitalization (p=0.001) and was higher in survivors compared to those who died (p<0.001, Fig1B). VA-ECMO allowed the use of lung-protective ventilation in patients with borderline compliances maintaining safe PaO2 and PaCO2. Patients additionally treated with IABP/Impella had lower pulmonary compliance and more hyperattenuated areas on their initial CT scan compared to those treated exclusively with VA-ECMO. Conclusions: Refractory VT/VF OHCA patients who are treated with VA-ECMO frequently have lung injury with borderline compliance soon after the index event. Lung compliance improves throughout hospitalization and is higher in survivors.