Prehospital extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for cardiac arrest patients in rural areas: a case report of two patients

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest remains poor, especially for cardiopulmonary arrest patients in rural areas with longer transport duration to hospitals. CASE PRESENTATION: In June 2016, we began providing prehospital extracorporeal life support using a mobile operating room for emergency surgery. We report two patients who survived after receiving prehospital extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation and were discharged. A patient with cardiopulmonary arrest from accidental hypothermia due to drowning survived with good neurological outcomes after on-site extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately after rescue. The other patient who survived experienced cardiopulmonary arrest at his workplace, which was approximately 90 min from the center. Prehospital extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation shortened the cardiopulmonary arrest time by an estimated 30 min, and the patient survived until the hospital. CONCLUSION: Prehospital extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation has the potential to save lives in rural areas by reducing low-flow time.