ASAIO journal : a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs
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Case Reports
Prolonged use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a rescue modality following traumatic brain injury.
A 21-year-old male trauma patient presented after a motor vehicle crash, witnessed massive aspiration and sustained traumatic brain injury. On postinjury day 3, the patient progressed to adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) refractory to all conventional therapies, prompting the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). ⋯ The patient is currently home without any neurological deficits. Although controversial, ECMO may serve a role as a rescue therapy in ARDS when conventional therapies fail in the brain-injured patient.
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Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a salvage therapy in acute cardiac failure and/or severe respiratory failure. In this case report the importance of cannula positioning during veno-venous ECMO is exemplified. The use of echocardiography and its advantages compared to plain chest radiograph will be shown. ⋯ Echocardiography was used to optimize the cannula position, and thus, rapidly improving the patient's oxygenation. A persistent left superior vena cava and its effect on the central hemodynamics were also objectified. This case illustrates important considerations in daily ECMO treatment: the benefit of direct echocardiographic competence at all times during the day, the importance of understanding central blood flow dynamics, to adjust the cannula-position accordingly, and to address situations outside the ordinary with a physiologic approach.
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Echocardiography is the standard to assess heart function although obtaining transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) on an emergent basis may be limited by its availability. A transoral miniaturized hemodynamic TEE (hTEE) probe (ImaCor Inc.) was developed to provide direct visualization of the heart, and we hypothesized that the probe could provide hemodynamic information useful for patient management. Data from 2011 to 2012 was retrospectively collected. ⋯ The indications for probe insertion were hemodynamic instability (n = 32), ECMO weaning (n = 10), VAD alarm (n = 1), tamponade (n = 14), pulmonary embolism (n = 2), and intra-aortic balloon pump wean (n = 2). In all 61 cases, we were successfully able to diagnose and treat the etiology of instability based on the hTEE findings. Utilization of the hTEE probe successfully diagnosed and aided therapy in all patients with hemodynamic instability refractory to initial therapy and provides a valuable tool to aid clinicians in the management of postoperative hemodynamics.
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Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is required in children on extracorporeal life support (ECLS) to maintain circuit patency. When high-dose UFH is inadequate to maintain an anticoagulant effect, the addition of antithrombin concentrate (ATC) is considered. The objective of this study was to review clinical experience giving 1,000 units (U) of ATC to patients on ECLS and UFH anticoagulation. ⋯ Mean anti-Xa level pre- and post-AT administration was 0.23 and 0.41 U/ml, respectively. There were no associated acute adverse events. The administration of high-dose ATC decreases UFH dose requirements.
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Implantation of rotary blood pumps is an established treatment for end-stage heart failure. Anticoagulation is routinely used for reducing pump thrombosis, but this severe complication still occurs in 5-8% of patients. In 105 patients, the sound produced by the left ventricular assist device HeartWare HVAD was prospectively and sequentially recorded. ⋯ Analysis of the acoustic spectrum of the HVAD pump can be used as a reliable method to detect pump thrombosis. The appearance of third harmonics indicates the presence of thrombotic particles independently of previous baseline measurements. The goal of this study is to define and validate such a method.