Abstract

<h3>Background</h3> Recently extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is becoming the first line treatment option for post-cardiotomy cardiac failure. The age limit for the use of support is yet to be defined. The aim of our study was to evaluate outcomes of octogenarians supported with ECMO following cardiac surgery in our institution. <h3>Methods</h3> Retrospective review of consecutive elderly patients (age ≥ 70 years) supported with ECMO following surgery during 13 years period in a tertiary care center. Patient's demographic variables, comorbidities, pre-existing medical conditions, perioperative data and outcomes were collected from patient medical records. Data of octogenarian patients were compared with the septuagenarian patient group. The primary endpoint of the study was in-hospital mortality. <h3>Results</h3> Sixty patients in our study were ≥ 70 years old and were included in the final analysis as "elderly group". Eleven patients (18,3 %) in the elderly group were octogenarians (aged 80 years or above) and forty nine (81,7 %) were septuagenarians (aged 70 – 79 years). There was no difference except age in all demographic and preoperative variables between groups. In the majority of cases VA ECMO was initiated in the intensive care unit after surgery (n=37, 61,7 %) and 23 cases (38,3 %) were initiated in the operating room. Central cannulation was more common in septuagenarian group than octogenarian group (83,7 % vs 54,5 %, p = 0,034 respectively). The median duration of ECMO support was 148 (71 – 288) hours and was longer in septuagenarian group (178 (92 – 300) hours vs 70 (46 – 93) hours in octogenarian group, p = 0,007). Pre ECMO Save, SOFA, SAPS – II and inotropic scores were significantly higher in septuagenarians than octogenarians. Pre ECMO data are shown in Table 1. Thirty one patient (52 %) were successfully weaned form ECMO and 13 (22 %) patients survived to hospital discharge. There was no statistically significant difference in hospital mortality between groups (7 (64%) octogenarian group vs. 40 (82%) septuagenarian group, p = 0,19). <h3>Conclusion</h3> ECMO could be successfully used in selected octogenarian patients undergoing cardiac surgery to support failing heart function with acceptable survival rate. Further studies needed to evaluate long term outcomes.

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