Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Author(s):  
J. Kyle Bohman ◽  
Gregory J. Schears

This chapter examines the indications, applications, and complications of modern extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The safety profile of ECMO has improved through advancements in devices, components, and routine management, resulting in improved outcomes and an expanded range of applications. Currently, ECMO can provide cardiopulmonary support in reversible conditions, such as post-cardiotomy shock, acute respiratory failure, extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, bridge to transplant, complex airway repairs, and massive pulmonary embolism, among others. The chapter focuses on the primary factors involved in using ECMO successfully: appropriate patient selection, optimal cannulation strategy, and availability of comprehensive medical resources (or a referral agreement with a comprehensive ECMO center) to handle emergent ECMO complications and to absorb the substantial resource requirements of treating patients with ECMO.

ASAIO Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukasz Kmiec ◽  
Alois Philipp ◽  
Bernhard Floerchinger ◽  
Matthias Lubnow ◽  
Christoph Unterbuchner ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alister Seaton ◽  
Luke E Hodgson ◽  
Ben Creagh-Brown ◽  
Adrian Pakavakis ◽  
Duncan LA Wyncoll ◽  
...  

A 59-year-old man was diagnosed with a massive pulmonary embolism. Despite thrombolysis there were two episodes of cardiac arrest and following recovery of spontaneous circulation profound cardiorespiratory failure ensued. An extracorporeal membrane oxygenation retrieval team initiated veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation on site to facilitate transfer to the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centre. An excellent outcome is reported in the short term. This represents one of the few published cases of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for a massive pulmonary embolism following thrombolysis.


Perfusion ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditya Badheka ◽  
Pradeep Bangalore Prakash ◽  
Veerajalandhar Allareddy

Background: Acute massive pulmonary embolism (PE) is a very rare condition in children. We report the successful use of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) as a lifesaving modality in a child with acute massive PE. Case presentation: A nine-year-old female with spinal muscular atrophy type 1, chronic respiratory failure with tracheostomy and ventilator dependence presented with tachypnea and hypoxia. She had recent coiling of her pulmonary arterio-venous malformation. A chest computerized tomography scan showed massive bilateral PE. Urgent catheter-directed thrombolysis failed. She was placed on VA-ECMO with stabilization of hemodynamics. She underwent surgical thrombo-embolectomy followed by weaning of ECMO support. Discussion: The use of VA ECMO supported the cardio-respiratory status and perfusion to facilitate surgical embolectomy.


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