(709) - The Feasibility of Extracoporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support for Inter-Hospital Transport and Bridge To Lung Transplantation

Abstract

PurposeAt regional lung transplantation centers, an inter-hospital transport program using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is necessary in order to provide patients who develop acute respiratory failure outside the hospital a chance at lung transplantation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of ECMO for safe transportation of lung transplant candidates who encounter respiratory failure outside a lung transplantation center, and as a bridge to lung transplantation.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data from 7 patients for whom inter-hospital transport to the lung transplantation center at our hospital was requested between December 2011 and June 2013 due to acute lung failure during the treatment of end stage lung diseases in other hospitals.ResultsAll 7 patients successfully received ECMO using a Terumo Emergency Bypass System® (EBS®), and all were safely transported to our hospital. There were no adverse incidents related to ECMO, and the vital signs were stable during transport. Four patients received lung transplant within 10.5 ± 2.3 days (range 7 to 12 days) after transport, 1 patient was weaned from ECMO without transplant, and 2 patients died with multi-organ failure while awaiting donor lungs.ConclusionECMO was useful for safe transport of patients who developed acute respiratory failure outside of a lung transplantation center, and as a bridge to lung transplantation. We believe that in a regional lung transplantation center, an inter-hospital transport program using ECMO is essential to increase the likelihood of successful transport and survival for lung transplantation patients. PurposeAt regional lung transplantation centers, an inter-hospital transport program using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is necessary in order to provide patients who develop acute respiratory failure outside the hospital a chance at lung transplantation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of ECMO for safe transportation of lung transplant candidates who encounter respiratory failure outside a lung transplantation center, and as a bridge to lung transplantation. At regional lung transplantation centers, an inter-hospital transport program using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is necessary in order to provide patients who develop acute respiratory failure outside the hospital a chance at lung transplantation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of ECMO for safe transportation of lung transplant candidates who encounter respiratory failure outside a lung transplantation center, and as a bridge to lung transplantation. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data from 7 patients for whom inter-hospital transport to the lung transplantation center at our hospital was requested between December 2011 and June 2013 due to acute lung failure during the treatment of end stage lung diseases in other hospitals. We retrospectively analyzed data from 7 patients for whom inter-hospital transport to the lung transplantation center at our hospital was requested between December 2011 and June 2013 due to acute lung failure during the treatment of end stage lung diseases in other hospitals. ResultsAll 7 patients successfully received ECMO using a Terumo Emergency Bypass System® (EBS®), and all were safely transported to our hospital. There were no adverse incidents related to ECMO, and the vital signs were stable during transport. Four patients received lung transplant within 10.5 ± 2.3 days (range 7 to 12 days) after transport, 1 patient was weaned from ECMO without transplant, and 2 patients died with multi-organ failure while awaiting donor lungs. All 7 patients successfully received ECMO using a Terumo Emergency Bypass System® (EBS®), and all were safely transported to our hospital. There were no adverse incidents related to ECMO, and the vital signs were stable during transport. Four patients received lung transplant within 10.5 ± 2.3 days (range 7 to 12 days) after transport, 1 patient was weaned from ECMO without transplant, and 2 patients died with multi-organ failure while awaiting donor lungs. ConclusionECMO was useful for safe transport of patients who developed acute respiratory failure outside of a lung transplantation center, and as a bridge to lung transplantation. We believe that in a regional lung transplantation center, an inter-hospital transport program using ECMO is essential to increase the likelihood of successful transport and survival for lung transplantation patients. ECMO was useful for safe transport of patients who developed acute respiratory failure outside of a lung transplantation center, and as a bridge to lung transplantation. We believe that in a regional lung transplantation center, an inter-hospital transport program using ECMO is essential to increase the likelihood of successful transport and survival for lung transplantation patients.