Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
The most recent articles from:
J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth.
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Nov 2024
ReviewSpinal Cord Injury Following Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Scoping Review.
Spinal cord infarction (SCI) or ischemia is a rare but devastating complication of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO). The natural course and outcomes are poorly studied. ⋯ Spinal infarction/ischemia on VA ECMO typically presents with paraplegia of lower extremities with low potential for even partial recovery. Because no treatment is currently available, the efforts should be focused on prevention. Several strategies have been proposed, but they need further testing under controlled settings.