The use of minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation for rewarming after accidental hypothermia and circulatory arrest.

Background: Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation has become a recommended treatment option for patients with severe hypothermia with cardiac arrest. Minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation (MiECC) may offer advantages over the current standard extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis of hospital database for patients with accidental hypothermia and extracorporeal rewarming with MiECC admitted between 2010 and 2019.

Results: Overall, six of 17 patients survived to hospital discharge. Eleven patients suffered accidental hypothermia in an alpine and six in an urban setting. Sixteen patients arrived at the hospital under ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR time was 90 minutes (0-150). Four patients survived from an alpine setting and two from an urban setting with CPR duration of 90 minutes (0-150) and 85 minutes (25-100), respectively. Asphyctic patients tended to have lower survival (one of seven patients). Two patients of six with major trauma survived.

Conclusion: MiECC for extracorporeal rewarming from severe accidental hypothermia is a feasible alternative to ECMO, with comparable survival rates.