• Jordi Riera, Eduard Argudo, María Martínez-Martínez, Sandra García, Marina García-de-Acilu, Manel Santafé, Cándido Díaz, Sofía Contreras, Alexandra Cortina, Camilo Bonilla, Andrés Pacheco, Paula Resta, Neiser Palmer, Miguel Ángel Castro, and Ricard Ferrer.
• Department of Critical Care, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
• Crit Care Explor. 2020 Oct 1; 2 (10): e0228.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the performance of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation retrieval team at a high-volume extracorporeal membrane oxygenation center during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.DesignObservational study including all adult patients with confirmed infection due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 cannulated at other centers and transported on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to the ICU of the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital between 15 March and 10 June 2020.SettingThe ICU (capacity expanded to 200 during the pandemic) of the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (a 1,100-bed public university hospital in Barcelona), the referral center for extracorporeal respiratory support in Catalonia (7.5 million inhabitants).PatientsExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation was considered if the Pao2/Fio2 ratio less than 80 mm Hg (refractory to prone position) and/or Paco2 greater than 80 mm Hg and pH less than 7.25 for more than 6 hours, and no contraindications for extracorporeal support were present.InterventionsVenovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was initiated in the primary center. Then, patients were transferred to the ICU of the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital where they received support until respiratory improvement. After decannulation, patients were discharged for rehabilitation at the primary center.Measurements And Main ResultsNineteen patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection and with a mean Pao2/Fio2 ratio of 71 mm Hg (57-118 mm Hg) despite prone positioning and a mean Paco2 of 70 mm Hg (47-110 mm Hg) were transferred to our center from their primary hospital after cannulation and received venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Prior to cannulation, six patients (31.5%) presented vascular thrombosis, and nine (47.4%) were already receiving anticoagulant therapy. Eighteen transfers were carried out with no significant complications. While on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, thrombotic events were recorded in nine patients (47.4%) and hemorrhagic events in 13 (68.4%). Thirteen patients (68.4%) were successfully weaned, and 12 (63.1%) were discharged home.ConclusionsExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation retrieval can rescue young, previously healthy patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 in whom all the conventional respiratory measures have failed. Thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications are frequent in this cohort.Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

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