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Closed Chest Cardiopulmonary Cerebral Resuscitation (CCCPCR)
...and why we ask about it
Just as there are benefits to the medical procedures we perform, all procedures and anaesthetic techniques carry some risks.
These risks include allergic reaction, bleeding, blood clots, infections and adverse and unexpected side effects of some medications. All anaesthetic medications effect the cardiovascular system to some degree and slightly increase the chance of respiratory and/or cardiac arrest (stopping breathing or stopping of the heart).
At Petmania, we have a 'death under anaesthetic' rate of less than 0.001%. This is 2 deaths in around 19,500 anaesthetics performed over 19 years. Our extremely low incident rate is in part due to our preparation for, and execution of, emergency intervention. We require all clients to consider and communicate their wishes ahead of time, in the very unlikely event that arrest occurs.
For both ethical and economic reasons, the decision to perform resuscitation should be based on the patient’s overall prognosis in regard to the primary disease present, and the suspected cause of the arrest. The financial and emotional costs of resuscitation and post-arrest care can be extreme. Healthy, anaesthetised patients that develop a treatable arrhythmia might be easily resuscitated, whereas a dog with severe systemic damage from a ruptured organ, may not be as good a candidate for resuscitation. Cases where arrest is directly witnessed (usually while the pet is in theatre and under direct supervision of the anaesthetist) are also more likely to be successfully resuscitated.
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Many owners elect for us to attempt Closed Chest Cardiopulmonary Cerebral Resuscitation for at least one 'round' (around 10 minutes). The fee associated with CCCPCR attempts is between $600 and $800.
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In patients that are gravely ill or very old, this may not be practical or viable, in which case you may wish to register a 'Do Not Resuscitate' (DNR) request.
Even with several rounds of CCCPCR, we cannot guarantee that your pet will experience a Return of Spontaneous Circulation (return of a heartbeat and breathing).
We ask for your resuscitation preference at the time of admission so that, should the worst occur, we can jump into action without needing to get hold of you by telephone first.
We are acutely aware that this is a confronting question and are happy to answer any questions you may have to aid you in making an informed decision.