Thrombolysis during continuous chest compression in a patient with cardiac arrest due to pulmonary embolism: prolonged CPR–induced spinal cord injury

Of these patients,5 achieved return of spontaneous circulation after CPR and thrombolytic therapy, and 3 were discharged alive through successive treatments. Because more than 70% of nontraumatic cardiac arrest is due to massive PE and acute myocardial infarction, empirical utilization of thrombolysis in the setting has also been shown to improve the return of spontaneous circulation and neurologic outcome [7-9]. In our case, the patient had a witnessed cardiac arrest in the cardiac care unit and had been diagnosed with acute PE before this episode of cardiac arrest. [...]when he presented with a hemodynamic collapse, continuous mechanical chest compression and thrombolytic therapy were simultaneously performed immediately.