An 11-year-old girl was given ECPR after suffering a severe cardiac arrest. After being misdiagnosed twice due to chest pain, the young patient was given ECPR or extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, which stabilised her condition.

This advanced medical procedure is used in extremely critical cases when the heart stops beating, wherein ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) is used to provide critical support to the patients.

The girl was initially given medication at two different emergency rooms on suspicion of a stomach problem. However, upon reaching Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, a quick ECG (electrocardiogram) showed worrying results.

Despite initially appearing stable, an echocardiogram soon revealed that her heart was functioning at only 25% of its normal capacity. When her condition began to deteriorate rapidly with serious heart rhythm problems, the medical team administered medication to control the arrhythmia.

Unfortunately, his condition continued to deteriorate and by the afternoon his blood pressure dropped dangerously low, a sign of cardiac arrest.

Taking decisive steps, the medical team prepared for ECMO, a life-saving machine that can temporarily take over the functions of the heart and lungs, allowing them to rest and heal. She was put on ECMO just in time, as she was close to cardiac arrest.

Remarkably, after seven days on ECMO, the young girl’s heart recovered, allowing her to leave the hospital functioning normally. Subsequent tests revealed that the viral infection had caused the problem with her heart, known as viral myocarditis.

All About ECPR

ECPR or Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is an advanced medical technique used in extreme cases when the heart stops beating. It is a type of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) in which the patient’s blood is passed through a machine to oxygenate it.

ECMO is used in this procedure to provide critical support to patients whose heart and lungs need time to rest and recover.

By temporarily taking over these vital functions, e-CPR can save lives in situations when traditional resuscitation methods are inadequate.