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REBEL Cast Ep113: Defibrillation Strategies for Refractory Ventricular Fibrillation

REBEL EM

Background Information: Double external defibrillation (DED) is an intervention often used to treat refractory ventricular fibrillation (RVF). This procedure involves applying another set of pads attached to a second defibrillator to a patient and shocking them in hopes of terminating the rhythm. N Engl J Med.

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Updates in the Management of Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia or Ventricular Fibrillation Arrest

ACEP Now

2 Standard management for VT and VF involves the use of electrical defibrillation, high-quality chest compressions, and epinephrine. Initial guidelines defined “refractory” as VT or VF occurring despite three shocks from a cardiac defibrillator. Tips for use of dual sequence defibrillation 11 : Use the same model of defibrillator.

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Resuscitated from ventricular fibrillation. Should the cath lab be activated?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

He was defibrillated into VT. He then underwent dual sequential defibrillation into asystole. See these related cases: Cardiac arrest, defibrillated, diffuse ST depression and ST Elevation in aVR. This patient was witnessed by bystanders to collapse. They started CPR. EMS arrived and found him in Ventricular Fibrillation (VF).

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1 hour of CPR, then ECMO circulation, then successful defibrillation.

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

She was unable to be defibrillated but was cannulated and placed on ECMO in our Emergency Department (ECLS - extracorporeal life support). After good ECMO flow was established, she was successfully defibrillated. Here is a case of ECMO defibrillation with near shark fin that was due to proximal LAD occlusion. The K was normal.

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A 20-something woman with cardiac arrest.

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

When I saw the ECG of this patient I saw that there was definitely something "off". She spontaneously converted (Defibrillation was not performed). Most such rhythms in the setting of ischemia are VF and will not convert without defibrillation. Are these ECG changes related to the CNS infection perhaps?

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50 yo with V fib has ROSC, then these 2 successive ECGs: what is the infarct artery?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

Today's case reminds us of the intuitive logic that if a patient has a shockable arrest ( ie, VFib ) — and following successful defibrillation shows evidence of acute OMI ( even if STEMI criteria are not necessarily fulfilled ) — that such patients have much to gain from immediate cath with PCI. ( The April 8, 2022 post by Drs.

STEMI 109
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Very fast regular tachycardia: 2 ECGs from the same patient. What is going on?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

There is definite change in the morphology of the waveforms and there is also significant change in the polarity of the QRS complexes in the precordial leads. After amiodarone and several defibrillations and about 20 minutes after initial arrest, stable ROSC was achieved. In ECG #1 there was monophasic R-waves V2-V6.