ECPR Program Continues to Grow at Ross Heart Hospital

Over the past five years, extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation and extracorporeal membrane
oxygenation devices have gained widespread attention, helping patients who experience cardiac arrest
both in and outside the hospital setting.

Commonly known as ECPR, extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a unique method of CPR

that passes blood through a machine to oxygenate the blood supply. The portable machine, known as an
ECMO device, is used as an adjunct to traditional CPR.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center implemented its ECPR program in August 2017,
providing care to patients who go into cardiac arrest outside of the hospital. The hospital has been
working exclusively with the Columbus Fire Department to trial the program.

“We partnered with the Columbus Fire Department to get all the kinks of the process worked out,”
Bryan Whitson, MD, associate professor of Cardiac Surgery at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, said.
“We plan to use this trial period as a framework as we begin working with surrounding EMS partners
and the rest of Franklin County.”

To qualify for Ohio State’s ECPR program, a patient must meet basic criteria assessed by EMS. First, the
arrest must be witnessed and bystander CPR must be performed. Once EMS personnel arrive, an airway
must be secured and three attempts at electrical cardioversion must occur. If the patient remains in
ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) after the third shock EMS should contact
doctors at the Ross Heart Hospital at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

“What is great about this program is that EMS professionals are working with our cardiologist to make
real-time decisions as to whether the patient meets the criteria,” Whitson said.

Once they arrive at the Ross Heart Hospital, the patient will be taken to the catheterization laboratory
for evaluation. If they qualify, they will be placed on the ECMO device.

Currently, six patients have been placed on ECMO in the catheterization laboratory at OSUWMC. As the
program reaches six months of implementation, doctors are planning to review the guidelines to make
them broader and inclusive of more patients.

EMS will be notified as Ohio State’s ECPR program rolls out to neighboring stations. Keep checking the
411 on 911 newsletter for more information!