Intraoperative Cardiac Arrest

Incidence of Perioperative Cardiac Arrest (CA):

Increase with higher ASA status

Wake Up Safe Registry: 3.3 per 10,000 of arrest were anesthesia related. Aesthesia-related death was 0.36 per 10,000 anesthetics.

Pediatric Perioperative Cardiac Arrest (POCA) Registry: 1.4 +/- 0.45 per 10,000 were anesthesia related. Mortality rate: 26%

Children (<12 year old): 2x more likely to experience CA, infants (<1 year old): 10x, neonates (<1month old): 50x

Causes for Pediatric Perioperative Arrest:

• CIRCULATORY FAILURE:
  • Hypovolemia: Hemorrhage, inadequate/inappropriate volume resuscitation/transfusion (patients < 24 months may not respond to hypotension with increase HR)
  • Hyperkalemia: Succinylcholine, TRANSFUSION (pRBC >2 weeks, speed of transfusion), reperfusion, myopathy, or renal insufficiency
  • Dysrhythmia: LA toxicity, line placement (safer to use Ultrasound guided vs. landmark technique)
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Venous Air Embolism
  • Malignant Hyperthermia: very rare
• RESPIRATORY FAILURE:
  • Airway Obstruction: - Laryngospasm: Upper respiratory infection increases risk - Bronchospasm
  • Inadequate ventilation and oxygenation: difficult airway, mucus plug, kinked ETT, inadvertent extubation
  • Disordered control of breathing: drug overdose, neuromuscular diseases, apnea
  • Aspiration
• SUDDEN CARDIAC COLLAPSE
  • Bradycardia or cardiovascular collapse: - Traction, pressure, or insufflation involving the abdomen, eye, neck, or heart - Undiagnosed cardiomyopathy
  • Overdose - Weight-based dosing of IV anesthetic on induction in a child with hypovolemia or compensated shock may lead to collapse

Important Resuscitation Steps:

1. Inform team
2. Stop surgical stimulation
3. Stop anesthetics (gas & sedation gtt)  and vasodilatory meds
4. 100% Oxygen
5. Open fluids and Trendelenburg position
6. Chest-compression
7. Call for help
8. Consider stopping potassium containing solutions (blood or hyperalimentation)
9. Ask for ice to head
10. Assign roles

Resuscitation Algorithm:

Source: Shaffner DH, Heitmiller ES, Deshpande JK. Pediatric perioperative life support. Anesth Analg. 2013 Oct;117(4):960-979. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0b013e3182a1f3eb. Epub 2013 Sep 10. PMID: 24023023.

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