Confirming Distal Perfusion Catheter Position by Micro-bubbles in Patients on Peripheral Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Abstract

Distal perfusion catheter (DPC) is commonly employed to prevent lower limb ischemia in patient put on peripheral venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Confirming its proper position is important but technically difficult by bedside ultrasound. We describe in this article a novel method to use micro-bubble ultrasound enhancing agents, which are commonly used for contrast echocardiography studies, to confirm DPC position at the bedside. The sequential appearance of the micro-bubbles in the popliteal artery and then popliteal vein by ultrasound after injection through the side port of the DPC confirms the proper DPC position.