Refractory ventricular fibrillation during flight

We report the case of a patient who presented an out-of-hospital cardiorespiratory arrest while being transported by the Helicopter Emergency Service, refractory to standard, electrical and medical treatment. The patient recovered spontaneous circulation after 58 minutes with heart arrest and 31 delivered shocks. The reanimation manoeuvres were monitored with capnography (titrated over 20 mmHg EtCO2). Upon arrival at the hospital, the patient went directly to the haemodynamic laboratory where a percutaneous coronary intervention was performed, with a stent in the right coronary artery. The patient was discharged after 8 days without any neurological handicap (cerebral performance category 1).