Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Procedure Research Articles

The Use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a Patient with Septic Myocarditis in the Postpartum Period

Introduction. Septic myocarditis is a rare disease (from 10 to 22 cases per 100 000 people). The cause of death is usually acute heart failure, hemodynamically significant cardiac arrhythmias, or thromboembolism. Patients in critical condition suffering from infectious myocarditis require massive cardiotonic support to maintain the necessary cardiac output with reduced myocardial contractile function, which leads to an increase in the need for cardiomyocytes for oxygen and aggravates their damage. Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) allows partial or complete replacement of cardiac function and reduces the dose of inotropic drugs, improve oxygen delivery and thereby contribute to the rapid restoration of cardiac function.The purpose of this publication is to demonstrate in a clinical case the successful experience of ECMO in the treatment of a patient with septic myocarditis in the early postpartum period.Materials and methods. A 28-year-old patient, data from medical records at the previous stages of treatment and at the Sverdlovsk Regional Clinical Hospital No. 1.Results. On the third day of treatment, the patient’s condition worsened due to the progression of cardiovascular and respiratory failure. A veno-arterial ECMO procedure was initiated, which lasted 6 days.Discussion. Positive dynamics in the patient’s condition were observed during six days of ECMO (normalization of echocardiography parameters, levels of cardiac enzymes and natriuretic peptide).Conclusion. Veno-arterial ECMO as a temporary method of mechanical support of the left ventricle and prosthetic pulmonary function can be successfully used until their recovery in patients with septic myocarditis in the postpartum period.

Placental pathology in a pregnant woman with severe COVID-19 and successful ECMO treatment: a case report

BackgroundInfection with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy can lead to a severe condition in the patient, which is challenging for obstetricians and anaesthesiologists. Upon severe COVID-19 and a lack of improvement after multidrug therapy and mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is introduced as the last option. Such treatment is critical in women with very preterm pregnancy when each additional day of the intrauterine stay is vital for the survival of the newborn.Case presentationWe report a case of a 38-year-old woman at 27 weeks of gestation treated with multidrug therapy and ECMO. The woman was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with increasing fever, cough and dyspnoea. The course of the pregnancy was uncomplicated. She was otherwise healthy. At admission, she presented with severe dyspnoea, with oxygen saturation (SpO2) of 95% on passive oxygenation, heart rate of 145/min, and blood pressure of 145/90. After confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection, she received steroids, remdesivir and convalescent plasma therapy. The foetus was in good condition. No signs of an intrauterine infection were visible. Due to tachypnea of 40/min and SpO2 of 90%, the woman was intubated and mechanically ventilated. Due to circulatory failure, the prothrombotic activity of the coagulation system, further saturation worsening, and poor control of sedation, she was qualified for veno-venous ECMO. An elective caesarean section was performed at 29 weeks on ECMO treatment in the ICU. A preterm female newborn was delivered with an Apgar score of 7 and a birth weight of 1440 g. The newborn had no laboratory or clinical evidence of COVID-19. The placenta showed the following pathological changes: large subchorionic haematoma, maternal vascular malperfusion, marginal cord insertion, and chorangioma.ConclusionsThis case presents the successful use of ECMO in a pregnant woman with acute respiratory distress syndrome in the course of severe COVID-19. Further research is required to explain the aetiology of placental disorders (e.g., maternal vascular malperfusion lesions or thrombotic influence of COVID-19). ECMO treatment in pregnant women remains challenging; thus, it should be used with caution. Long-term assessment may help to evaluate the safety of the ECMO procedure in pregnant women.

Retrospective Study of Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients With and Without Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support in Wuhan, China.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) might benefit critically ill COVID-19 patients. But the considerations besides indications guiding ECMO initiation under extreme pressure during the COVID-19 epidemic was not clear. We aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics and in-hospital mortality of severe critically ill COVID-19 patients supported with ECMO and without ECMO, exploring potential parameters for guiding the initiation during the COVID-19 epidemic.Methods: Observational cohort study of all the critically ill patients indicated for ECMO support from January 1 to May 1, 2020, in all 62 authorized hospitals in Wuhan, China.Results: Among the 168 patients enrolled, 74 patients actually received ECMO support and 94 not were analyzed. The in-hospital mortality of the ECMO supported patients was significantly lower than non-ECMO ones (71.6 vs. 85.1%, P = 0.033), but the role of ECMO was affected by patients' age (Logistic regression OR 0.62, P = 0.24). As for the ECMO patients, the median age was 58 (47–66) years old and 62.2% (46/74) were male. The 28-day, 60-day, and 90-day mortality of these ECMO supported patients were 32.4, 68.9, and 74.3% respectively. Patients survived to discharge were younger (49 vs. 62 years, P = 0.042), demonstrated higher lymphocyte count (886 vs. 638 cells/uL, P = 0.022), and better CO2 removal (PaCO2 immediately after ECMO initiation 39.7 vs. 46.9 mmHg, P = 0.041). Age was an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality of the ECMO supported patients, and a cutoff age of 51 years enabled prediction of in-hospital mortality with a sensitivity of 84.3% and specificity of 55%. The surviving ECMO supported patients had longer ICU and hospital stays (26 vs. 18 days, P = 0.018; 49 vs. 29 days, P = 0.001 respectively), and ECMO procedure was widely carried out after the supplement of medical resources after February 15 (67.6%, 50/74).Conclusions: ECMO might be a benefit for severe critically ill COVID-19 patients at the early stage of epidemic, although the in-hospital mortality was still high. To initiate ECMO therapy under tremendous pressure, patients' age, lymphocyte count, and adequacy of medical resources should be fully considered.

Treating Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia with ECMO: First Successful Case in Romania

We present the first successful case of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) at „M.S. Curie” Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children, Newborn Intensive Care Unit: a term neonate with cardiorespiratory failure secondary to left sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The patient was placed on veno-venous ECMO at three days of life; however, on the fourth day, due to unstable right ventricular function, conversion to veno-arterial ECMO was mandatory. At one week of life, the patient was operated on-site for diaphragmatic hernia without ECMO support and then reintroduced on ECMO immediately after the surgical procedure, being on ECMO support for a total of 8 days. Antithrombotic treatment was administered for significant occlusion of the right common carotid artery and right internal jugular vein (complication of the cannulation for ECMO) and also long term treatment for Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension was needed. The patient was discharged at the age of four months with moderate neurodevelopmental delay. The literature review indicates that neonatal ECMO procedure in Romania is still in its early stages. Despite this state, our current case proves that ECMO can be successfully performed with increased chances of survival for neonates with severe prognosis after failure of conventional therapy.

Bedside Right Atrium to Left Atrium ECMO Cannulation: A Novel Approach in Patients With Severe ARDS Due to Covid-19

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can provide life-saving treatment of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) complicating COVID-19 infection. We hypothesized that a modified ECMO (right to left atrium [RA-LA] cannulation with TandemHeart cannula and an oxygenator;TandemHeart ECMO) might be superior to conventional veno-venous (VV)-ECMO. Methods: A total of 19 patients with COVID-19 underwent ECMO at Princeton Hospital. We compared in-hospital complications and short-term outcomes between patients with VV ECMO vs. RA-LA ECMO. VV-ECMO was initiated in the cath lab, while RA-LA ECMO was initiated bedside using intracardiac echo guidance. We used Fisher’s exact test for mortality and Student’s t-test for other variables. Results: Between March and September 2020, 19 patients underwent ECMO cannulation. Out of 19 patients, 5 patients had beside TandemHeart ECMO (we performed bedside ICU ECMO procedure in 5 patients, 3 males and 2 females). We placed a 21F LA cannula (TandemHeart, TandemHeart, Pittsburgh, PA) via the right common femoral vein (CFV) and a 25F RA cannula (Edwards, Irvine, CA) through the left CFV. Both the oxygenator and pump were also a TandemHeart system. The median duration of ECMO was 16 days (range 7 to 19 days) for RA-LA ECMO compared to 26 days (range 12-81 days) for conventional VV-ECMO (p<0.02). The mean number of blood transfusions was 10.4±1.6 vs. 21.8±7.1 units, p<0.0001. One patient in the TandemHeart ECMO arm required dialysis, while 8/14 patients on VV-ECMO required dialysis, p=0.1. Intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay was shorter in the RA-LA ECMO group compared to VV ECMO (25.8±7.4 vs. 3.67±14.1 days, p<0.05). A total of 6/14 (42.8%) patients in the VV-ECMO vs. 0/5 (0%) in the RA-LA ECMO died in the hospital. However, this was not statistically significant (p=0.2). No major procedural complications, including tamponade occurred in the RA-LA arm despite using bedside ICE without fluoroscopy. Conclusion: Bedside percutaneous RA-LA cannulation was feasible and safe and was associated with significantly shorter ECMO and ICU days among COVID-19 patients presenting with ARDS. This strategy has the potential benefit of providing complete cardiopulmonary support in patients with ARDS. However, larger studies are needed to confirm its role in COVID-19 infections and potentially other ARDS scenarios.

Impact of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation on Mortality in Adults With Cardiac Arrest

Previous studies regarding benefit of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in adults with cardiac arrest have yielded conflicting results. We aimed to determine whether ECMO in adults hospitalized with cardiac arrest is associated with improved survival compared with conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a nationally representative sample. The U.S. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2006 to 2014) was utilized to identify a cohort of adults hospitalized with cardiac arrest at ECMO-capable facilities (defined by the presence of at least 1 ECMO procedure at the facility during the study period of 2006 to 2014). In-hospital mortality was compared between the ECMO and non-ECMO groups using generalized estimating equations with and without coarsened exact matching analysis. Of 273,690 hospitalizations for adults with cardiac arrest, 33,274 occurred at 363 ECMO-capable facilities, of which 775 (2.3%) involved the use of ECMO. There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between patients who received ECMO versus those who did not (60.1% vs 57.2%, p = 0.106). In the risk-adjusted analysis, the presence of ECMO was associated with higher rates of in-hospital mortality in the overall sample [odds ratio 1.59, 95% confidence interval 1.37 to 1.85] and the coarsened exact matching sample (n = 1,068 with 534 adults in each group; odds ratio 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.14 to 1.88). In this cohort of hospitalizations for cardiac arrest at ECMO-capable centers in the U.S., adults who received ECMO had significantly higher mortality than those who did not receive ECMO. Large scale, adequately powered, randomized controlled trials are warranted to assess the benefit of ECMO in cardiac arrest.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)-A Lifesaving Technology. Review and Single-center Experience.

ObjectiveExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation is used to bypass the cardiopulmonary system in a severe heart or/and lung failure, mainly in intractable conditions where all other therapy options fail or are unfeasible. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a well-established therapeutic option in such circumstances for neonatal, pediatric, and adult patients. Managing a patient with ECMO requires dedicated and specific management. The importance and necessity of this essential technology in life-threatening cardio-respiratory rescue prompted Rambam Health Care Campus to implement it and make it available as a service to the population in northern Israel. This article includes a brief review of extracorporeal life support and a report of our single-center experience since the establishment of the service.MethodsThe ECMO unit was established in 2014 under the responsibility of the Cardiac Surgery Department. The ECMO service was initiated by a well-planned program with consideration of all aspects including economics, education and training, the specialist team and equipment needed, strategies for medication, and ethical challenges.ResultsBetween February 2014 and May 2018, 65 patients were treated with ECMO; 43 patients received veno-arterial ECMO for cardiac support (66%), while 22 received veno-venous ECMO for respiratory support (34%). The in-hospital mortality was 56%.ConclusionsExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an effective therapy that is constantly growing in use and provides a therapy that can replace previous options. To establish such a service requires a planned program and concerted effort. Our single-center experience presented a good learning curve and showed the feasibility as well as the efficacy of the ECMO procedure in life-threatening conditions.

Haematopoietic alterations in neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation procedure (ECMO) has been established in the therapy of respiratory insufficient infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. In congenital diaphragmatic hernia newborns, a delay in transfer to an ECMO centre is associated with a sharp increase in mortality. Predictive factors for ECMO support are urgently needed. We evaluated the routine parameters of the first blood withdrawal after birth in congenital diaphragmatic hernia infants, hypothesizing that early signs in bone marrow affecting haematology parameters for early regulation of potentially post birth hypoxia are predictive factors for ECMO support. In 44 patients born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, differential blood cell count from the first blood withdrawal after birth was examined. Descriptive statistics included median, 95% confidence intervals, minimum and maximum differentiating ECMO/early mortality vs. no ECMO. Odds ratios with CI were calculated by binary logistic regression analysis. Best predictive markers were further checked in combination with the liver-up situation in two factorial regression models. In our cohort, the survival rate was 77.3% (34/44). While 18 neonates received ECMO support, 26 experienced no ECMO during hospital stay. Odds ratio calculations showed that risk for ECMO support increases with augmenting leukocytes, erythrocytes, haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean cell volume and absolute immature granulocytes. Further, the risk advanced in line with the severity of congenital diaphragmatic hernia assessed by prenatal ultrasound. We conclude that these parameters are associated with disease severity in congenital diaphragmatic hernia newborns and may be considered potentially predictive biomarkers for the necessity of ECMO support.

Towards the design and implementation of a human circulatory system for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation simulation

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is a lifesaving procedure developed for the care of patients with short-term respiratory and/or cardiac issues (MacLaren et al., 2011). ECMO patients must be monitored twenty-four hours a day by an ECMO-trained multidisciplinary team. The trained healthcare professional needs to watch over fifty variables and rapidly intervene to assess and resolve any given emergency. Hence hands on training is very important for ECMO professionals to develop rapid and correct actions upon different scenarios. Simulation based training (SBT) offers ECMO practitioners an opportunity to develop the skills needed for the initiation of the ECMO procedure and the care of ECMO patients without exposing patients to undue risks (Al Disi et al., 2018). For ECMO to work, cannulation is required to reroute the blood flow to the machine rather than the lung and/or heart. Cannulation is the insertion of a cannula through the blood vessels. In collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the main healthcare provider in Qatar, the aim of this project is to develop an effective, economical realistic, user-friendly, low-cost, and a multi-functional high-fidelity cannulation simulation mannequin.

Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage Associated BacteremiaExtracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO): Temporal Trends and Outcomes

Introduction: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is associated with hemorrhagic complications such as gastrointestinal hemorrhage (GIH), which in turn may result from coagulopathy, systemic inflammation, reduced gastric perfusion and arteriovenous malformation from non-pulsatile blood flow. GIH in patients treated by ECMO is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Data are limited regarding the burden of this complication in the United States. Methods: We analyzed the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database years 2007-2011 to identify hospitalizations in which an ECMO procedure was performed (ICD-9 CM code 39.65). Hospitalizations complicated by a GIH in this cohort were then identified. NIS is the largest all-payer inpatient care database in the United States, containing data on more than seven million hospital stays. Its large sample size is ideal for developing national and regional estimates and enables analyses of rare conditions, uncommon treatments, and special populations. Temporal trends of GIH in this cohort, patient demographics, comorbidity measures, cost of care and outcomes during the study period were determined using Cochran-Armitage trend test. Results: Between 2007 and 2011, ECMO hospitalizations increased from 1,869 to 3,799 (p-trend< 0.0001, figure 1A). Proportion of hospitalizations complicated by GIH increased from 2.12% in 2007 to 7.46% in 2011 (p-trend< 0.0001, figure 1B). GIH was more common in men (56.7%) and in Caucasians (57.4%). Some of the common comorbidities in this population were renal failure (71%), anemia (55%), and hypertension (26%) (figure 2). All-cause inpatient mortality showed a numerical but nonsignificant increase from 56.7% to 61.9% (P= 0.49, figure 1C). Cost of hospitalization increased from $132,420 in 2007 to $215,673 in 2011 (adjusted for inflation, p-trend< 0.0001, figure1D). Conclusion: In this contemporary study of ECMO hospitalizations, GIH occurred in small but significantly increasing proportions. Overall mortality rate and costs associated with GIH were substantial and increased significantly during the study period. Further studies are needed to identify predictors of these trends and factors responsible for such outcomes to better elucidate and perhaps support our findings.540_A Figure 1 No Caption available.540_B Figure 2 No Caption available.

Ex Vivo Model to Decipher the Impact of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation on Beta-lactam Degradation Kinetics.

As a consequence of drug sequestration, increase in volume of distribution, or alteration of elimination, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) might lead to inadequate plasma concentrations of vital drugs. The aim of this experimental study was to develop an ex vivo model to better characterize the impact of ECMO procedure on beta-lactam antibiotics pharmacokinetics. Plasma concentrations of cefotaxime, ceftazidime, cefepime, piperacillin, oxacillin, amoxicillin, and ceftriaxone were measured in an ex vivo ECMO circuit primed with whole human blood and compared with controls stored in glass tubes and polyvinyl chloride tubing. Serial blood samples were collected over 48 hours, and the concentrations of beta-lactam antibiotics were quantified using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography assay. The concentrations' decay rate over time was compared between the ECMO circuits and controls using nonlinear mixed-effect modeling. Cefotaxime concentrations decreased markedly: 86% of the initial concentration remained after 4 hours and only 21% after 48 hours (P < 0.05 for the comparison in rate of decrease with both glass and polyvinyl chloride controls). There was no difference in the rate of decrease between ECMO circuit and controls for the other beta-lactam antibiotics. The average drug recoveries from the ECMO circuits at 48 hours were as follows: ceftazidime, 73%; cefepime, 67%; piperacillin, 71%; oxacillin, 46%; and amoxicillin, 72%. Concentrations of ceftriaxone remained stable throughout the 48-hour study both in ECMO circuits and in controls. Significant losses of cefotaxime were observed, whereas ceftazidime, cefepime, piperacillin, oxacillin, and amoxicillin decrease was moderate and similar to that of the control group, and ceftriaxone concentrations remained unchanged. These results are reassuring for the use of beta-lactam antibiotics in critically ill patients treated with ECMO.

Development of the first adult respiratory extracorporeal membrane oxygenation center in Croatia under emergency circumstances.

We report on the challenges of establishing a successful adult respiratory extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) center in a developing country like Croatia under emergency conditions. We further introduce measures that would improve the outcome of patients treated with ECMO for respiratory failure at the national level. 100 consecutive adult patients treated with venovenous (VV) ECMO for acute respiratory failure were enrolled to the database prospectively from October 2009 until June 2016. A review of methodology in establishing an adult respiratory ECMO center is provided. 7 years after the establishment of the first respiratory ECMO center in Croatia the hospital mortality was 44% and ECMO procedure survival was 71%. With this data, our results are comparable to an average extracorporeal life support organization (ELSO) center. Our results demonstrate that a successful adult respiratory ECMO center can be established under emergency conditions even in less developed countries like Croatia. Today Croatia's respiratory ECMO network is insufficiently organized and the Ministry of Health should provide a comprehensive, national, ECMO network strategy. Currently, and contrary to the opinion of the world's leading experts, any hospital in Croatia is allowed to perform the ECMO procedure without any control or validation. Only if health-policy makers in Croatia reconsider this issue will we be able to provide the best care possible for respiratory ECMO patients at the national level.

Does the ex utero intrapartum treatment to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation procedure change morbidity outcomes for high-risk congenital diaphragmatic hernia survivors?

PurposeIn high-risk congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), significant barotrauma or death can occur before extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be initiated. We previously examined ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT)-to-ECMO in our most severe CDH patients, but demonstrated no survival advantage. We now report morbidity outcomes in survivors of this high-risk cohort to determine whether EXIT-to-ECMO conferred any benefit. MethodsAll CDH survivors with <15% predicted lung volume (PPLV) from September 1999 to December 2010 were included. We recorded prenatal imaging, defect size, and pulmonary, nutritional, cardiac, and neurodevelopmental outcomes. ResultsSeventeen survivors (8 EXIT-to-ECMO, 9 non-EXIT) had an average PPLV of 11.7%. Eight of 9 non-EXIT received ECMO within 2days. There were no significant defect size differences between groups, mostly left-sided (13/17) and type D (12/17). Average follow-up was 6.7years (0–13years). There were no statistically significant differences in outcomes, including supplemental oxygen, diuretics, gastrostomy, weight-for-age Z scores, fundoplication, pulmonary hypertension, stroke or intracranial hemorrhage rate, CDH recurrence, and reoperation. No survivor in our cohort was neurologically devastated. All had mild motor and/or speech delay, which improved in most. ConclusionsIn this pilot series of severe CDH survivors, EXIT-to-ECMO confers neither significant survival nor long-term morbidity benefit. Level of evidenceLevel III treatment study.

The effect of an improvement of experience and training in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation management on clinical outcomes

Background/Aims:The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is spreading rapidly, with successful procedures reported in the ECMO for Severe Adult Respiratory failure (CESAR) trial and treatment of the H1N1 pandemic. However, ECMO is associated with a high mortality rate. This study aimed to show that increased experience and improved teamwork through education may reduce the mortality rate associated with ECMO.Methods:A retrospective study was performed. Data were collected from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2011. The data were divided into two periods: 2009/2010 (period 1) and 2011 (period 2). The protocol and training program were applied during period 2.Results:Seventy-six patients were included. The most common disease requiring ECMO support was pneumonia (43.4%). ECMO was applied within 7 days in 76.3% of patients. The primary outcomes, such as Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and hospital mortality rates, were higher during period 1 (91.3%) than period 2 (66.7%, p = 0.013). A multivariate analysis revealed that ECMO weaning failure was the only factor associated with ICU and hospital mortality (ICU mortality: hazard ratio [HR], 11.349; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.281 to 100.505; p = 0.029; hospital mortality: HR, 17.976; 95% CI, 2.263 to 142.777; p = 0.006).Conclusions:The mortality rate associated with the ECMO procedure decreased following the ECMO training program. However, applying the training program to ECMO management is not an independent factor for the mortality rate. Further studies should be performed to help reduce the mortality rate associated with ECMO.

Prone positioning of patients during venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is safe and feasible

Prone positioning of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has been shown to significantly improve survival rates. Prone positioning reduces collapse of dorsal lung segments with subsequent reduction of alveolar overdistension of ventral lung segments, optimizes lung recruitment and enhances drainage. Patients with ARDS treated by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can also benefit from prone positioning; however, the procedure is associated with a possible higher risk of serious adverse events. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of prone positioning for patients with severe ARDS during ECMO therapy. This study involved a retrospective analysis of all patients placed in a prone position while being treated by venovenous ECMO (vvECMO) for severe hypoxemia in ARDS as bridge to recovery in the interdisciplinary intensive care unit at the University Hospital Leipzig between January 2009 and August 2013. Baseline data, hospital mortality and serious adverse events were documented. Serious adverse events were defined as dislocation or obstruction of endotracheal tube or tracheal cannula, ECMO cannulas and cardiac arrest. Prone positioning was carried out by at least one doctor and three nurses according to a standardized protocol. Results are given as the median (1st and 3rd quartiles). A total of 26 patients were treated with vvECMO as bridge to recovery due to severe ARDS. Causes for ARDS were pneumonia (n = 20) and aspiration (n = 2) and four patients had different rare causes of ARDS. The median time on ECMO was 8 days (6;11) and during this period 134 turning events were documented. Patients were proned for a median of 5 (3;7) periods with a median duration of 12 h (8;12). No serious adverse events were recorded. The hospital mortality was 42% and mortality during the ECMO procedure was 35%. Prone positioning significantly reduces the mortality of patients with severe ARDS. In this series of 26 patients with severe ARDS during ECMO therapy no serious adverse events were found during the use of prone positioning.

Impact of bloodstream infections on catheter colonization during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

There are concerns about secondary extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) catheter infections in bacteremic patients. We investigated the association between blood stream infection (BSI) and ECMO catheter colonization. From January 2012 to August 2014, 47 adults who received ECMO support were enrolled. The ECMO catheter tip was cultured at the end of the ECMO procedure. The enrolled patients were classified into two groups according to the presence of BSI during ECMO support and analyzed with respect to ECMO catheter colonization. Of 47 cases, BSI during ECMO was identified in 13 patients (27.7%). ECMO catheter colonization was identified in 6 (46.2%) patients in the BSI group and 3 (8.8%) in the non-BSI group. BSI during ECMO support was independently associated with ECMO catheter colonization [odds ratio (OR) 5.55; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-30.73; p=0.049]. The organisms colonizing ECMO catheters in the setting of primary BSI were predominantly Gram-positive cocci and Candida species. Acinetobacter baumannii was the most common colonizing pathogen in the setting of secondary BSI. All the organisms colonizing ECMO catheters were multi-drug resistant organisms, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Candida glabrata, and carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii. ECMO catheters may become contaminated with multi-drug resistant pathogens in the presence of BSI. Therefore, ECMO should be applied cautiously in septic patients with bacteremia caused by multi-drug resistant pathogens.

288 Classification of Brain Injury Associated with Neonatal ECMO. National Review of 2 Decades in the Netherlands

Background and AimsBrain injury is an important complication of neonatal Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO). Unilateral carotid artery and jugular vein cannulation (often with ligation), in combination with systemic heparinisation,...

Does the ex utero intrapartum treatment to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation procedure change outcomes for high-risk patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia?

PurposeIn the most severe cases of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), significant barotrauma or death can occur before advanced therapies such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be initiated. We have previously examined the use of the ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) to ECMO procedure (EXIT with placement on ECMO) in high-risk infants and reported a survival advantage. We report our experience with EXIT to ECMO in a more recent cohort of our patients with most severe CDH. MethodsEvery patient with less than 15% predicted lung volume during January 2005 to December 2010 was included. We obtained data on prenatal imaging, size and location of the defect, and survival. ResultsSeventeen high-risk infants were identified. All 17 (100%) received ECMO and required a patch. Six children were delivered by EXIT to ECMO, and only 2 (33%) survived. An additional patient was delivered by EXIT to intubation with ECMO on standby and died. Of the 10 children who did not receive EXIT, 5 (50%) survived. ConclusionsNo clear survival benefit with the use of the EXIT to ECMO procedure was demonstrated in this updated report of our high-risk CDH population. The general application of EXIT to ECMO for CDH is not supported by our results.

The simulation of an ex utero intrapartum procedure to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

We report a case of using simulation to aid in the performance of ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A primigravid with a fetus who was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome was scheduled for an EXIT to ECMO procedure to be done by members of her obstetrical and neonatal teams. It would be the first time any of the members of the 2 teams would work together. Simulation was used to allow all involved parties to experience the procedure before the live operation. In addition, the simulation enabled the interdisciplinary teams to work with each other, identify possible complications, and further plan the coordination during the event. The EXIT to ECMO surgery was completed successfully. The use of low-fidelity, cost-effective simulation during a surgical rehearsal can give a surgical team critical advantage when performing a rare and/or complex procedure.

Bivalirudin-based versus conventional heparin anticoagulation for postcardiotomy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

IntroductionExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after cardiac operations (postcardiotomy) is commonly used for the treatment of acute heart failure refractory to drug treatment. Bleeding and thromboembolic events are the most common complications of postcardiotomy ECMO. The present study is a retrospective comparison of the conventional heparin-based anticoagulation protocol with a bivalirudin-based, heparin-free protocol. Endpoints of this study are blood loss, allogeneic blood product use, and costs during the ECMO procedure.MethodsA retrospective study was undertaken in the setting of cardiac surgery, anesthesia, and intensive care departments of a university research hospital. Twenty-one patients (12 adults and nine children) who underwent postcardiotomy ECMO from 2008 through 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. The first consecutive eight patients were treated with heparin-based anticoagulation (H-group) and the next 13 consecutive patients with bivalirudin-based anticoagulation (B-group). The following parameters were analyzed: standard coagulation profile, thromboelastographic parameters, blood loss, allogeneic blood products use, thromboembolic complications, and costs during the ECMO treatment.ResultsPatients in the B-group had significantly longer activated clotting times, activated partial thromboplastin times, and reaction times at thromboelastography. The platelet count and antithrombin activity were not significantly different, but in the H-group a significantly higher amount of platelet concentrates, fresh frozen plasma, and purified antithrombin were administered. Blood loss was significantly lower in the B-group, and the daily cost of ECMO was significantly lower in pediatric patients treated with bivalirudin. Thromboembolic complications did not differ between groups.ConclusionsBivalirudin as the sole anticoagulant can be safely used for postcardiotomy ECMO, with a better coagulation profile, less bleeding, and allogeneic transfusions. No safety issues were raised by this study, and costs are reduced in bivalirudin-treated patients.