ECMO, ELS

Monitoring for thrombosis and hemolysis is crucial for patients under extracorporeal or mechanical circulatory support, but it can be costly. We investigated correlations between hemolysis index (HI) and plasma-free hemoglobin (PFH) levels on one hand, and between the HI and plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels on the other, in critically ill patients with and without extracorporeal or mechanical circulatory support. Additionally, we calculated the cost reductions if monitoring through HI were to replace monitoring through PFH or plasma LDH...

BACKGROUND: Recent alerts have highlighted an increase in group A streptococcal (GAS) infections since 2022 in Europe and the United States. Streptococcus pyogenes can cause limited skin or mucosal disease, but can also present as severe invasive disease necessitating critical care. We performed a multicenter retrospective study of patients with GAS infections recently admitted to Belgian intensive care units (ICUs) since January 2022. We describe patient characteristics and investigate the molecular epidemiology of the S...

Microfluidic membrane oxygenators are designed to mimic branching vasculature of the native lung during extracorporeal lung support. To date, scaling of such devices to achieve clinically relevant blood flow and lung support has been a limitation. We evaluated a novel multilayer microfluidic blood oxygenator (BLOx) capable of supporting 750-800 ml/min blood flow versus a standard hollow fiber membrane oxygenator (HFMO) in vivo during veno-venous extracorporeal life support for 24 hours in anesthetized, mechanically ventilated uninjured swine (n = 3/group)...

Traditionally, patients with obesity have been deemed ineligible for extracorporeal life support (ELS) therapies such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), given the association of obesity with chronic health conditions that contribute to increased morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, a growing body of literature suggests the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of ECMO in the obese population. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the current literature assessing the effects of obesity on outcomes among patients supported with ECMO (venovenous [VV] ECMO in noncoronavirus disease 2019 and coronavirus disease 2019 acute respiratory distress syndrome, venoarterial [VA] ECMO, and combined VV and VA ECMO), offer a possible explanation of the current findings on the basis of the obesity paradox phenomenon, provides a framework for future studies addressing the use of ELS therapies in the obese patient population, and provides guidance from the literature for many of the challenges related to initiating, maintaining, and weaning ELS therapy in patients with obesity...

ObjectiveThe number of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients who may benefit from prehospital extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is yet to be elucidated. Patient eligibility is determined both by case characteristics and physical proximity to an ECPR service. We applied accessibility principles to historical cardiac arrest data, to identify the number of patients who would have been eligible for prehospital ECPR in Sydney, Australia, and the potential survival benefit had prehospital ECPR been available...

Recent global events such as COVID-19 pandemic amid rising rates of chronic lung diseases highlight the need for safer, simpler, and more available treatments for respiratory failure, with increasing interest in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A key factor limiting use of this technology is the complexity of the blood circuit, resulting in clotting and bleeding and necessitating treatment in specialized care centers. Microfluidic oxygenators represent a promising potential solution, but have not reached the scale or performance required for comparison with conventional hollow fiber membrane oxygenators (HFMOs)...

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has revolutionized the treatment of refractory cardiac and respiratory failure, and its use continues to increase, particularly in adults. However, ECMO-related morbidity and mortality remain high. MAIN TEXT: In this review, we investigate and expand upon the current state of the art in thoracic transplant and extracorporeal life support (ELS). In particular, we examine recent increase in incidence of heart transplant in patients supported by ECMO; the potential changes in patient care and selection for transplant in the years prior to updated United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) organ allocation guidelines versus those in the years following, particularly where these guidelines pertain to ECMO; and the newly revived practice of heart-lung block transplants (HLT) and the prevalence and utility of ECMO support in patients listed for HLT...

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been advancing rapidly due to a combination of rising rates of acute and chronic lung diseases as well as significant improvements in the safety and efficacy of this therapeutic modality. However, the complexity of the ECMO blood circuit, and challenges with regard to clotting and bleeding, remain as barriers to further expansion of the technology. Recent advances in microfluidic fabrication techniques, devices, and systems present an opportunity to develop new solutions stemming from the ability to precisely maintain critical dimensions such as gas transfer membrane thickness and blood channel geometries, and to control levels of fluid shear within narrow ranges throughout the cartridge...

BACKGROUND: Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) and veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO), also known as extracorporeal life support (ECLS), can both be used to treat patients with acute pulmonary or cardiovascular failure. METHODS: This review is based on publications retrieved by a selective search in PubMed on the topics of cardiogenic shock and acute pulmonary failure, also known as the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), as well as on ECMO...

The recent emergence of microfluidic extracorporeal lung support technologies presents an opportunity to achieve high gas transfer efficiency and improved hemocompatibility relative to the current standard of care in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). However, a critical challenge in the field is the ability to scale these devices to clinically relevant blood flow rates, in part because the typically very low blood flow in a single layer of a microfluidic oxygenator device requires stacking of a logistically challenging number of layers...

Brain death (irreversible loss of brain function), according to German regulations, is investigated exclusively by qualified specialists in a strictly hierarchical three-step pattern and a four-eyes principle. In step 1 all necessary prerequisites are to be checked and the pathophysiology of brain damage has to be classified. Step 2 comprises the clinical investigation of reactivity to external stimuli and the upper, middle and lower brain stem reflexes including apnea testing. Step 3 exclusively checks for irreversibility of this condition...

The technology to provide Extracorporeal Life Support (ELS) has existed for over four decades. Its use has increased markedly in the last decade, initially in response to severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in adults during the 2009 H1N1 influenza epidemic and continuing with the increasing acceptance of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for the treatment of severe respiratory failure in adults from other causes.1 We highlight the use of ECMO, particularly at our institution.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a form of life support, which facilitates gas exchange outside the body via an oxygenator and a centrifugal pumping system. A paediatric cardiac ECMO programme was established in 2005 at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin (OLCHC) and to date 75 patients have received ECMO, the majority being post operative cardiac patients. The outcome data compares favourably with international figures. ECMO has been most successful in the treatment of newborn infants with life threatening respiratory failure from conditions such as meconium aspiration, respiratory distress syndrome and respiratory infections...

INTRODUCTION: Severe trauma with concomitant chest injury is frequently associated with acute lung failure (ALF). This report summarizes our experience with extracorporeal lung support (ELS) in thoracic trauma patients treated at the University Medical Center Regensburg. METHODS: A retrospective, observational analysis of prospectively collected data (Regensburg ECMO Registry database) was performed for all consecutive trauma patients with acute pulmonary failure requiring ELS during a 10-year interval...

BACKGROUND: Resuscitation guidelines for the treatment of accidental hypothermia are based primarily on isolated cases. Mortality rates are high despite aggressive treatment aimed at restoring spontaneous circulation and normothermia. METHODS: The present report is based on a boating accident where 15 healthy subjects (median age 16 (range 15-45) years) were immersed in 2 °C salt water. Seven victims were recovered in circulatory arrest with a median temperature of 18...

Extracorporeal life support (ELS) is emerging as a standard treatment option for acute respiratory and/or cardiac failure. In this article we describe our first year of experience with ELS activity in adult medical patients in our center. Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) support was applied in cases of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) not responsive to conventional treatments. The use of veno-arterial (VA) ECMO support was reserved for cases of cardiac shock refractory to standard treatment and cardiac arrests not responding to conventional resuscitation...

BACKGROUND: Technological advances improved the practice of "modern" extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). In the present report, we describe the experience of a referral ECMO center using portable miniaturized ECMO systems for H1N1-related severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). METHODS: An observational study of all patients with H1N1-associated ARDS treated with ECMO in Hospital S. João (Porto, Portugal) between November 2009 and April 2011 was performed...

INTRODUCTION: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) patients refractory to medical therapy and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) counterpulsation or in whom weaning from these therapies is impossible, are candidates for a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as a bridge to recovery or transplant. Continuous-flow LVADs are smaller, have a better long-term durability and are associated with better outcomes. Extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be used as a temporary support in patients with refractory cardiogenic shock...

OBJECTIVE: Cardiogenic shock is associated with mortality rates up to 70%, even if patients are treated with intensive care support or thrombolytic therapy. Early coronary revascularisation can be life-saving but it is oftentimes not available at the hospital to which the patient was initially taken. Up to now, transferring patients in a state of severe cardiogenic shock and/or cardiopulmonary resuscitation is mostly decided to be impossible. We report on the use of two newly developed minimised systems for hand-held-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) (ELS-System™ and CARDIOHELP™, both from MAQUET Cardiopulmonary AG, Germany), which we have used for rapid extracorporeal life support and interhospital transfer on Mini-ECMO...