What enabled mother and twins to survive 18 minutes after maternal cardiopulmonary arrest?

Abstract

AbstractA woman carrying monochorionic twins underwent sudden cardiopulmonary arrest at 31 weeks of gestation due to spontaneous coronary artery dissection in the hospital. The resuscitation techniques, with her uterus manually displaced to her left, were initiated immediately and maternal spontaneous circulation was resumed 18 min later. A cesarean section was performed 2 h after the revival and the patient was kept hypothermic for 24 h. Finally, full recovery of both mother and twins was achieved. As in this case, the resuscitation techniques for pregnant women recommended by the American Heart Association, and therapeutic hypothermia, might be effective and contribute much to the survival and recovery of patients.