Controlled automated reperfusion of the whole body after cardiac arrest: Device profile of the CARL system.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac arrest is associated with high mortality rates and severe neurological impairments. One of the underlying mechanisms is global ischemia-reperfusion injury of the body, particularly the brain. Strategies to mitigate this may thus improve favorable neurological outcomes. The use of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during CA has been shown to improve survival, but available systems are vastly unable to deliver goal-oriented resuscitation to control patient's individual physical and chemical needs during reperfusion. Recently, controlled automated reperfusion of the whoLe body (CARL), a pulsatile ECMO with arterial blood-gas analysis, has been introduced to deliver goal-directed reperfusion therapy during the post-arrest phase. METHODS: This review focuses on the device profile and use of CARL. Specifically, we reviewed the published literature to summarize data regarding its technical features and potential benefits in ECPR. RESULTS: Peri-arrest, mitigating severe IRI with ECMO, might be the next step toward augmenting survival rates and neurological recovery. To this end, CARL is a promising extracorporeal oxygenation device that improves the early reperfusion phase after resuscitation.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for in- and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: The race against time.

Objectives: Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is increasingly used due to its beneficial outcomes and results compared to conventional CPR. Cardiac arrests can be categorized depending on location: in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Despite this distinction, studies comparing the two are scarce, especially in comparing outcomes after ECPR. This study compared patient characteristics, cardiac arrest characteristics, and outcomes. Methods: Between 2016 and 2022, patients who underwent ECPR for cardiac arrest at our institution were retrospectively analyzed, depending on the arrest location: IHCA and OHCA. We compared periprocedural characteristics and used multinomial regression analysis to indicate parameters contributing to a favorable outcome. Results: A total of n = 157 patients (100%) were analyzed (OHCA = 91; IHCA = 66). Upon admission, OHCA patients were younger (53.2 ± 12.4 vs. 59.2 ± 12.6 years) and predominantly male (91.1% vs. 66.7%, p=<0.001). The low-flow time was significantly shorter in IHCA patients (41.1 ± 27.4 mins) compared to OHCA (63.6 ± 25.1 mins). Despite this significant difference, in-hospital mortality was not significantly different in both groups (IHCA = 72.7% vs. OHCA = 76.9%, p = 0.31). Both groups' survival-to-discharge factors were CPR duration, low flow time, and lactate values upon ECMO initiation. Conclusion: Survival-to-discharge for ECPR in IHCA and OHCA was around 25%, and there was no statistically significant difference between the two cohorts. Factors predicting survival were lower lactate levels before cannulation and lower low-flow time. As such, OHCA patients seem to tolerate longer low-flow times and thus metabolic impairments compared to IHCA patients and may be considered for ECMO cannulation on a broader time span than IHCA.

Adequate anticoagulation and ECMO therapy in COVID-19 patients with severe pulmonary embolism.

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infections have been recently shown to be associated with a high rate of thromboembolic events due to pro-coagulative mechanisms that have not yet been fully understood. This paper reports on a 55-year-old female COVID-19 patient with severe ARDS and pulmonary embolism (PE) complicated by cardiogenic shock after 12 days of hospitalization under initial prophylactic anticoagulation with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH). An ultima-ratio va (veno-arterial) ECMO implantation and subsequent rapid upgrade to vvaECMO due to insufficient oxygenation was performed. The patient developed severe coagulopathy with intrapulmonary bleeding. The present report aims to highlight and discuss the pros and cons of various anticoagulation strategies in COVID-19 patients focusing on current scientific debates to address this frequently observed complication in the current situation worldwide.

The differential roles of contralesional frontoparietal areas in cortical reorganization after stroke.

BACKGROUND: Studies examining the contribution of contralesional brain regions to motor recovery after stroke have revealed conflicting results comprising both supporting and disturbing influences. Especially the relevance of contralesional brain regions beyond primary motor cortex (M1) has rarely been studied, particularly concerning the temporal dynamics post-stroke. METHODS: We, therefore, used online transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) interference to longitudinally assess the role of contralesional (right) frontoparietal areas for recovery of hand motor function after left hemispheric stroke: contralesional M1, contralesional dorsal premotor cortex (dPMC), and contralesional anterior intraparietal sulcus (IPS). Fourteen stroke patients and sixteen age-matched healthy subjects performed motor tasks of varying complexity with their (paretic) right hand. Motor performance was quantified using three-dimensional kinematic data. All patients were assessed twice, (i) in the first week, and (ii) after more than three months post-stroke. RESULTS: While we did not observe a significant effect of TMS interference on movement kinematics following the stimulation of contralesional M1 and dPMC in the first week post-stroke, we found improvements of motor performance upon interference with contralesional IPS across motor tasks early after stroke, an effect that persisted into the later phase. By contrast, for dPMC, TMS-induced deterioration of motor performance was only evident three months post-stroke, suggesting that a supportive role of contralesional premotor cortex might evolve with reorganization. CONCLUSION: We here highlight time-sensitive and region-specific effects of contralesional frontoparietal areas after left hemisphere stroke, which may influence on neuromodulation regimes aiming at supporting recovery of motor function post-stroke.