Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Jun 2018
Central Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (C-VA-ECMO) After Cardiothoracic Surgery: A Single-Center Experience.
Central veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (C-VA-ECMO) provides temporary cardiorespiratory support for patients in heart failure who cannot be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass successfully. Outcomes are influenced by the reversibility of the initial insult and complications of the technique. ⋯ Overall one-third of patients in the cohort who the authors believe would otherwise have died from postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock survived because C-VA-ECMO was commenced after cardiac surgery. Survival is greater in transplantation patients necessitating this form of support during or immediately after surgery.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Jun 2018
Observational StudyThe 8-Year Experience of the Florence Referral ECMO Center and Retrieval Team for Acute Respiratory Failure.
Many extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) centers for respiratory failure and ECMO mobile teams were instituted during the H1N1 pandemic. Data on transportation are scarce and heterogeneous. The authors therefore described the experience of their referral ECMO center for severe respiratory failure from 2009 to 2016 and gave a comprehensive report of transfers performed by their mobile ECMO team. ⋯ The workload of the authors' referral center and mobile team did not change, documenting that severe respiratory failure requiring VV-ECMO support is still a clinical need. No difference in mortality rate was detectable during this period or between transferred and local patients who were managed by the same team.