Controlled Reperfusion Reduces Brain Injury after Cardiac Arrest

More patients might survive unwitnessed cardiac arrest if sufficient time for the correct intervention and controlled reperfusion were available. In addition, of those who initially survive stroke, roughly half suffer permanent neurological damage. The controlled reperfusion protocol could substantially reduce this adverse outcome as well.

Scientists working on a porcine model found that if the pig brain, after 30 minutes of ischemia, received just 20 minutes of controlled delivery of "conditioned blood” (a process called controlled reperfusion), it recovered quickly, dramatically, and often completely. The blood conditioning process includes passing blood through a leukocyte reduction filter before it is delivered to the brain.

The study was presented by Dr. Bradley S. Allen at the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine (UCLA; Los Angeles, CA, USA) and colleagues at the Resuscitation Satellite Symposium of the American Heart Association (AHA) annual meeting in New Orleans (LA, USA) on November 8, 2008. The leukocyte (white blood cell) reduction filter is called the LeukoGuard BC Filter and is a product of Pall Life Sciences (East Hills, NY, USA).

Current thinking is that intervention, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), needs to be instituted within minutes in order to prevent massive brain damage or death. This remains true when CPR is started immediately. However, the results presented by the UCLA scientists mark a major change in conventional thinking in the treatment of unwitnessed cardiac arrest.

"This is the first time it has been shown that the brain can be salvaged after a period of up to 30 minutes without blood flow,” said Dr. Allen. "Until now, this was thought to be impossible. It may offer hope for patients undergoing sudden death and stroke.”

Dr. Allen and his colleague, Dr. Gerry Buckberg, have together studied controlled reperfusion for the last 25 years, and have shown that this procedure effectively can avoid injury to the heart, lungs, and lower extremities. They studied the contribution of white blood cells in their system. They believe leukocyte reduction by filtration is an important component for a successful outcome.

Pall is a global leader in the rapidly growing field of filtration, separation, and purification. Pall is organized into two businesses: life sciences and industrial. These businesses provide products in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceutics, transfusion medicine, energy, electronics, water purification, aerospace, transportation, and broad industrial markets.

Related Links:
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