ASAIO journal : a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs
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Mortality due to refractory cardiogenic shock (RCS) exceeds 50%. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) has become an accepted therapy for RCS. The aim of our study was to evaluate outcomes of patients with RCS treated with percutaneous VA-ECMO (pVA-ECMO). ⋯ Index hospitalization, 30-day, and 1-year survival were 65%, 65%, and 57%, respectively. Survival rate for discharged patients was 87.5% with a median follow-up of 450 days. Refractory cardiogenic shock supported with pVA-ECMO is associated with an improved survival in patients with a traditionally poor prognosis.
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Observational Study
A Retrospective Observational Case Series of Low-Flow Venovenous Extracorporeal Carbon Dioxide Removal Use in Patients with Respiratory Failure.
We aimed to describe the use of venovenous extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO2R) in patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure. We performed a retrospective case note review of patients admitted to our tertiary regional intensive care unit and commenced on ECCO2R from August 2013 to February 2015. Fourteen patients received ECCO2R. ⋯ Ten patients were discharged from intensive care unit (ICU) alive. A statistically significant improvement in pH (p = 0.012) was demonstrated. Our observational series of ECCO2R shows that this technique can be safely used to achieve therapeutic goals in patients requiring lung protection, and in COPD, in line with current publications in this area.
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As left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are increasingly used for patients with end-stage heart failure, the need for noncardiac surgical procedures (NCSs) in these patients will continue to rise. We examined the various types of NCS required and its outcomes in LVAD patients requiring NCS. The National Inpatient Sample Database was examined for all patients implanted with an LVAD from 2007 to 2010. ⋯ On multivariate analysis, the requirement of NCSs (odds ratio: 1.45, 95% confidence interval: 0.95-2.20, p = 0.08) was not associated with mortality. Noncardiac surgical procedures are commonly required after LVAD implantation, and the incidence of complications after NCS is high. This suggests that patients undergoing even low-risk NCS should be cared at centers with treating surgeons and LVAD specialists.