Is cardiopulmonary resuscitation warranted in children who suffer cardiac arrest post trauma?

The use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is accepted universally for patients with cardiovascular compromise. However, outcomes from CPR in subsets of trauma patients may not be as good as initially thought. This article reviews the literature on outcomes from traumatic arrest in both adults and children. Outcomes for adults and children are similar, although the types of injuries may differ. Patients with asystolic arrest at the scene have very poor survival, and those who do survive sustain severe neurological injury. Recognizing that most providers would feel uncomfortable at not attempting resuscitation, the length and degree of aggressiveness of CPR is addressed. Finally, we discuss possible reasons to resuscitate. Organ donation and the ethics of nontherapeutic ventilation and other strategies to increase the donor pool are discussed. We hope to stimulate discussion around a very difficult issue.