10-year-old boy saved after nearly two hours of cardiac arrest using special resuscitation techniques

Doctors at Children's Hospital No. 2 in Ho Chi Minh City have successfully revived a 10-year-old boy who experienced prolonged cardiac arrest, totaling nearly two hours. The child, identified as H.P., had a history of unexplained fainting spells. His critical condition worsened after he collapsed at home, leading to a series of resuscitation attempts. During emergency care at a previous facility, he suffered cardiac arrest twice, requiring continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Upon arrival at Children's Hospital No. 2, he experienced another cardiac arrest just before the ECMO system could be established, necessitating over an hour of external chest compressions to maintain circulation. The medical team urgently deployed the ECPR technique at the bedside. After 60 minutes of continuous resuscitation and the successful implementation of VA-ECMO, the boy's circulation was restored, ensuring vital organs like the brain, heart, liver, and kidneys received blood flow. Following intensive treatment, his heart function gradually recovered. Six days later, he was successfully weaned off ECMO, regained consciousness, and is now in the process of full recovery. Dr. Tran Thi Bich Kim, deputy head of the intensive care and toxicology department, highlighted ECPR combined with VA-ECMO as a highly advanced resuscitation technique for cases unresponsive to standard methods. She stressed the critical importance of early recognition of warning signs, prompt medical attention, and close collaboration among medical staff to improve survival and recovery rates for pediatric patients in such dire situations.

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The child suffered cardiac arrest right at home for about 20 minutes. During emergency care at the previous level, the child had cardiac arrest for another 20 minutes and required continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation. When transferred to Children's Hospital No. 2, the patient had another cardiac arrest just before the ECMO system was established, lasting over an hour. The child received external chest compressions to maintain circulation.