Targeted temperature management and extracorporeal life support, particularly extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, represent outcome-enhancing strategies for patients following in- and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Although targeted temperature management with hypothermia between 32°C and 34°C and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation bear separate potentials to improve outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, each is associated with bleeding risk and risk of infection. Whether the combination imposes excessive risk on patients is, however, unknown.
Keywords: ECMO; ECPR; haemorrhage; hypothermia; targeted temperature.