ASAIO journal : a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs
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Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support among adults is increasing; however, the role in respiratory failure in the elderly is not clearly defined. The aim of the current study is to investigate survival to hospital discharge among the elderly supported on ECMO. The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry database was queried, identifying all elderly patients (≥65 years of age) supported on ECMO for respiratory failure from 1990 to May 2013. ⋯ Among pre-ECMO therapies, vasodilators, steroids, and inhaled nitric oxide were more frequently used in survivors. Survival-to-hospital discharge rate is lower (41%) in elderly patients treated with ECMO compared with that in all adults (55%). However, given the noted survival, age should not be a firm contraindication for the use of ECMO in older patients but should be considered on a case-by-case basis.