Provision of ECPR during COVID-19: evidence, equity, and ethical dilemmas

Abstract The use of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) to restore circulation during cardiac arrest is a time-critical, resource-intensive intervention of unproven efficacy. The current COVID-19 pandemic has brought additional complexity and significant barriers to the ongoing provi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Elliott Worku, Denzil Gill, Daniel Brodie, Roberto Lorusso, Alain Combes, Kiran Shekar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2020-07-01
Series:Critical Care
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13054-020-03172-2
Description
Summary:Abstract The use of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) to restore circulation during cardiac arrest is a time-critical, resource-intensive intervention of unproven efficacy. The current COVID-19 pandemic has brought additional complexity and significant barriers to the ongoing provision and implementation of ECPR services. The logistics of patient selection, expedient cannulation, healthcare worker safety, and post-resuscitation care must be weighed against the ethical considerations of providing an intervention of contentious benefit at a time when critical care resources are being overwhelmed by pandemic demand.
ISSN:1364-8535