Background The main function of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is to provide systemic perfusion and gas exchange for patients with severe, acute respiratory or cardiac illness. The ECMO system consists of blood pump and a membrane oxygenator. ECMO oxygenator fibers, blood pump and tubing may bind circulating compounds such as drugs and nutritional components during ECMO support. Any loss of vital nutrients due to adsorption to the ECMO circuits may lead to further nutritional debilitation in critical ill patients. Objective The purpose of study is to analyze the amount of nutritional supplements adsorbed to the ECMO circuit under controlled ex vivo conditions Methods Six identical ECMO circuits were primed with fresh human whole blood and maintained under physiological conditions at 36°C for 24 hours. A dose of nutritional supplement calculated for a 70 kg patient was added. 150 mL volume was drawn from priming bag for control samples and kept under similar conditions. Blood samples were obtained at predetermined time points and analyzed for concentrations of vitamins, minerals, lipids, and proteins. Statistical analyses were performed using mixed models with robust standard errors, which allows for repeated samples within each setup and incomplete data. Results No significant differences were found between the ECMO circuits and controls for any of the measured variables: cobalamin, folate, vitamin A, glucose, concentration of minerals, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and total proteins. There was an initial decrease and then and increase in the concentration of cobalamin and folate. Vitamin A concentrations decreased in both groups over time. There was a decrease in concentration of glucose and an increased concentration of lactate dehydrogenase over time in both groups. Conclusion There were no changes in the concentrations of nutritional supplements in an ex vivo ECMO circuit compared to control samples, indicating that parenteral nutrition can be given during ECMO support. However, the time span of this study was limited, and the design made it impossible to investigate any functional and structural changes over time in nutritional supplements which lead to diminished effects through the ECMO circuit.
Membrane Lung and Blood Pump Use During Prolonged Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation