Lifesaving protocol for cardiac arrest patients piloted in Pittsburgh seeing success

PITTSBURGH — Typically, when paramedics get to a cardiac arrest patient their job is to stabilize and revive. Now, EMS in communities such as Shaler, Ross and the City of Pittsburgh are being told to load the patient and continue performing life-saving measures as they go.

“I don’t remember because I wasn’t alive,” said Mary Fischer.

Back in June, Mary Fischer went into cardiac arrest at her home in Crafton Heights. Her boyfriend called 911 and started CPR. Then EMS followed a new protocol. While Fischer was in active cardiac arrest, they got her to Allegheny General Hospital immediately where doctors then hooked her up to an ECMO machine, which is a device that takes a patient’s blood, puts oxygen into it and pumps it back into the body.

“We’ve learned from more and more studies that the sooner ECMO therapy begins, the better the results,” said AHN Cardiothoracic Surgical ICU Co-Director and ECMO Medical Director Dr. Tyler VanDyck.

Currently, only about 10% survive cardiac arrest outside of a health care setting, even when treated by EMS.

“If patients can be placed on ECMO within 30 minutes of cardiac arrest their chances of survival is almost 100%,” said VanDyck.

Patients must meet certain criteria for EMS to follow this new protocol. The heart has to have a shockable rhythm. A medical transport time of less than 45 minutes to AGH or UPMC Presby which are both ECPR sites. CPR has to have taken place within five minutes of the patient collapsing.

“Without ECPR, three of our patients in the past year would be dead,” said VanDyck.

But instead, they’re spending time with loved ones and getting back to living a normal life.

“Just want to thank everybody,” said Fischer.

This new method just gives doctors more time to save someone’s life. After a patient is stabilized, doctors will put in a stent or perform a different necessary procedure to correct the cause of the cardiac arrest.

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