Abstract 267: Impact of Regular Comprehensive Simulation Training for Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation to Improves the Outcome in Patients with Refractory Cardiac Arrest

Background: Extracorporeal CPR (E-CPR) has been utilized as a rescue strategy for cardiac arrest (CA) patients unresponsive to conventional CPR. Although the time from cardiac arrest to starting extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is known as a predictor for a good outcome, the opportunities to establish the E-CPR initiation flow are limited. Objective: We developed a protocol for the E-CPR simulation program and investigated whether the faster deployment of ECMO improves the neurological outcome and mortality in patients with refractory CA. Methods: In this single-center observational study, we enrolled 140 consecutive patients who received E-CPR from January 2012 to May 2020. E-CPR simulation training was carried out twice a year with the participation of doctors and co-medicals using a mock vascular model to practice ECMO cannulation and initiation since October 2017. 86 patients received E-CPR in the pre-simulation period (from January 2012 to September 2017), and 54 received in the post-simulation period (October 2017 to May 2020). We assessed the 30-day survival rate and the rate of the Cerebral Performance Category grades 1 and 2 as favorable neurological prognosis. Results: No significant difference in age, the rate of the male sex, witnessed CA, by-stander CPR, shockable rhythm at the initial contact, acute coronary syndrome (ACS) as a cause of CA, and out of hospital CA (OHCA). The collapse to ECMO placement time (CTET) was significantly shorter in the post-simulation group compared to the pre-simulation group (44 min [IQR; 27-74] vs. 32 min [IQR; 15-46]; P<0.01). The rate of 30-day survival and favorable neurological outcome was significantly higher in the Post-simulation group compared to the pre-simulation group (16% vs. 20%; P=0.02, 9% vs. 13%; p=0.03, respectively). Cox regression analysis including data on the age, male sex, OHCA, initial shockable rhythm, ACS, and CTET revealed that CTET was significantly associated with the 30-day mortality (HR for 5 minutes increase, 1.12 [95%CI; 1.07-1.16]; p<0.01). Conclusion: A regular comprehensive simulation-based E-CPR training improves the 30-day mortality and the neurological outcome in patients with refractory CA as a result of the shortening of the ECMO deployment.