Project description:In a multicenter, retrospective analysis of 435 patients with refractory COVID-19 placed on V-V ECMO, cannulation by a single, dual-lumen catheter with directed outflow to the pulmonary artery was associated with lower inpatient mortality.
Project description:IntroductionCritical illness is a well-recognized cause of neuromuscular weakness and impaired physical functioning. Physical therapy (PT) has been demonstrated to be safe and effective for critically ill patients. The impact of such an intervention on patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has not been well characterized. We describe the feasibility and impact of active PT on ECMO patients.MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study of 100 consecutive patients receiving ECMO in the medical intensive care unit of a university hospital.ResultsOf the 100 patients receiving ECMO, 35 (35%) participated in active PT; 19 as bridge to transplant and 16 as bridge to recovery. Duration of ECMO was 14.3 ± 10.9 days. Patients received 7.2 ± 6.5 PT sessions while on ECMO. During PT sessions, 18 patients (51%) ambulated (median distance 175 feet, range 4 to 2,800) and 9 patients were on vasopressors. Whilst receiving ECMO, 23 patients were liberated from invasive mechanical ventilation. Of the 16 bridge to recovery patients, 14 (88%) survived to discharge; 10 bridge to transplant patients (53%) survived to transplantation, with 9 (90%) surviving to discharge. Of the 23 survivors, 13 (57%) went directly home, 8 (35%) went to acute rehabilitation, and 2 (9%) went to subacute rehabilitation. There were no PT-related complications.ConclusionsActive PT, including ambulation, can be achieved safely and reliably in ECMO patients when an experienced, multidisciplinary team is utilized. More research is needed to define the barriers to PT and the impact on survival and long-term functional, neurocognitive outcomes in this population.
Project description:When determining extracorporeal oxygen transfer (V ML O 2 ) during venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) dissolved oxygen is often considered to play a subordinate role due to its poor solubility in blood plasma. This study was designed to assess the impact of dissolved oxygen on systemic oxygenation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) on VV ECMO support by differentiating between dissolved and hemoglobin-bound extracorporeal oxygen transfer. We calculated both extracorporeal oxygen transfer based on blood gas analysis using the measuring energy expenditure in extracorporeal lung support patients (MEEP) protocol and measured oxygen uptake by the native lung with indirect calorimetry. Over 20% of V ML O 2 and over 10% of overall oxygen uptake (VO 2 total ) were realized as dissolved oxygen. The transfer of dissolved oxygen mainly depended on ECMO blood flow (BF ML ). In patients with severely impaired lung function dissolved oxygen accounted for up to 28% of VO 2 total . A clinically relevant amount of oxygen is transferred as physically dissolved fraction, which therefore needs to be considered when determining membrane lung function, manage ECMO settings or guiding the weaning procedure.
Project description:BackgroundPatients with influenza-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (vv-ECMO) support have a high mortality rate. Ventilator settings have been known to have a substantial impact on outcomes. However, the optimal settings of mechanical ventilation during vv-ECMO are still unknown.MethodsThis multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted in the intensive care units (ICUs) of three tertiary referral hospitals in Taiwan between July 2009 and December 2019. It aims to describe the effect of ventilator settings during vv-ECMO on patient outcomes.ResultsA total of 93 patients with influenza receiving ECMO were screened. Patients were excluded if they: were receiving venoarterial ECMO, died within three days of vv-ECMO initiation, or were transferred to the tertiary referral hospital >24 hours after vv-ECMO initiation. A total of 62 patients were included in the study, and 24 (39%) died within six months. During the first three days of ECMO, there were no differences in tidal volume (5.1 vs. 5.2 mL/kg, p = 0.833), dynamic driving pressure (15 vs. 14 cmH2O, p = 0.146), and mechanical power (11.3 vs. 11.8 J/min, p = 0.352) between survivors and non-survivors. However, respiratory rates were significantly higher in non-survivors compared with survivors (15 vs. 12 breaths/min, p = 0.013). After adjustment for important confounders, a higher mean respiratory rate of >12 breaths/min was still associated with higher mortality (adjusted hazard ratio = 3.31, 95% confidence interval = 1.10-9.97, p = 0.034).ConclusionsIn patients with influenza-associated ARDS receiving vv-ECMO support, we found that a higher respiratory rate was associated with higher mortality. Respiratory rate might be a modifiable factor to improve outcomes in this patient population.
Project description:BackgroundAirway management in tracheobronchial surgeries, especially carinal resection and reconstruction, remains one of the greatest challenges to thoracic surgeons. This study investigated the safety and effectiveness of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) for respiratory support during tracheobronchial surgeries.MethodsThe data of patients who underwent VV-ECMO-assisted tracheobronchial surgeries at the Shanghai Chest Hospital from August 2006 to August 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinicopathological, perioperative, and follow-up outcomes were analyzed.ResultsA total of 7 patients (4 males and 3 females) with a median age of 56 years (range, 11-70 years) were included in the study. The following tracheobronchial surgeries were conducted: carinal resection and reconstruction with complete pulmonary parenchyma preservation (n=4), left main bronchus and hemi-carinal sleeve resection (n=1), right upper sleeve lobectomy and hemi-carinal resection (n=1), and tracheal resection and reconstruction (n=1). The mean time on VV-ECMO was 167.7±65.8 min, and the mean operative time was 192.4±55.0 min. The average estimated blood loss was 271.4±125.4 mL. No perioperative death or reimplantation of VV-ECMO occurred. Postoperative complications were observed in 2 patients, including 1 case of respiratory failure due to preoperative severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 1 case of chylothorax. The median hospital stay was 11 days (range, 7-46 days). The median follow-up time was 30 months (range, 21-33 months). All the patients remained alive, and no postoperative readmission occurred during the follow-up period.ConclusionsVV-ECMO is a safe and feasible ventilation mode when intraoperative oxygen saturation cannot be well maintained during tracheobronchial surgery.
Project description:BackgroundExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) serves as a rescue therapy when systemic hypoxia persists despite conventional care for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Due to the extracorporeal gas exchange, the p aO2/F iO2 ratio cannot be used as the primary marker for disease severity and progression. Therefore, we performed a propensity score-matched analysis to identify other potential predictors of outcomes in patients supported by ECMO therapy.ResultsBetween December 2014 and May 2018, 105 patients underwent venovenous ECMO in our institution. From these patients, we identified 28 who died during ECMO therapy and assigned 28 control patients using propensity score matching based on the following criteria: age, ARDS severity, and SAPSII score at admission. A statistical evaluation of the patient characteristics, intensive care data, morbidities, respiratory system variables, and outcomes was performed. The baseline patient characteristics did not differ between groups and ECMO was placed on day 1 in all patients. The analyzed variables of respiratory mechanics, such as the plateau pressure, positive end-expiratory pressure, and tidal volume, did not differ between groups. The driving pressure before ECMO was equal between the nonsurvivors and the controls. Twelve hours after initiation of ECMO therapy, the driving pressure decreased by 40.8% in the survivors but by only 20.1% in the nonsurvivors.ConclusionsWe report that very early driving pressure changes can serve as an indicator of disease severity and predict patient survival following ECMO therapy.
Project description:ObjectivesThe objective of the present study was to examine the effect of venovenous (VV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use on the haemodynamics during single lung transplantation (SLT) and postoperative course.MethodsForty-seven patients who underwent SLT for end-stage lung diseases in our lung transplant centre between January 2010 and December 2019 were included in this study. The recipients were divided into 3 groups according to the type of intraoperative ECMO. No type of ECMO was intra-operatively used in the patients of the no use of ECMO (NO ECMO) group. The patients in the venoarterial (VA) and VV ECMO groups were put on VA and VV ECMO during the surgery, respectively. The data were compared among the 3 groups.ResultsThere were 13 SLT cases in the NO ECMO group, 23 SLT cases in the VA ECMO group and 11 SLT cases in the VV ECMO group. Re-exploration for bleeding was performed in 3 (13.0%) recipients in the VA ECMO group. No recipients required re-exploration in the other groups. In the NO ECMO group, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) was significantly elevated during the main pulmonary artery clamp on the SLT side and it was decreased in the VA ECMO group because of the bypass flow. Interestingly, systolic PAP was significantly decreased in the VV ECMO group as well.ConclusionsVV ECMO decreases the PAP during SLT, which could be a choice for extracorporeal life support during lung transplant surgery for patients, even those with pulmonary hypertension.
Project description:BackgroundSevere coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. Venovenous (VV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been used in patients in whom conventional mechanical ventilatory support has failed. To date, published data have focused on survival from ECMO and survival to discharge. In addition to survival to discharge, this study reports 1-year follow-up data for patients who were successfully discharged from the hospital.MethodsA single-institution, retrospective review of all patients with severe COVID-19 who were cannulated for VV-ECMO between March 10, 2020 and May 1, 2020 was performed. A multidisciplinary ECMO team evaluated, selected, and managed patients with ECMO support. The primary outcome of this study was survival to discharge. Available 1-year follow-up data are also reported.ResultsA total of 30 patients were supported with VV-ECMO, and 27 patients (90%) survived to discharge. All patients were discharged home or to acute rehabilitation on room air, except for 1 patient (3.7%), who required supplemental oxygen therapy. At a median follow-up of 10.8 months (interquartile range [IQR], 8.9-14.4 months) since ECMO cannulation, survival was 86.7%, including 1 patient who underwent lung transplantation. Of the patients discharged from the hospital, 44.4% (12/27) had pulmonary function testing, with a median percent predicted forced expiratory volume of 100% (IQR, 91%-110%). For survivors, a 6-minute walk test was performed in 59.3% (16/27), with a median value of 350 m (IQR, 286-379 m).ConclusionsA well-defined patient selection and management strategy of VV-ECMO support in patients with severe COVID-19 resulted in exceptional survival to discharge that was sustained at 1-year after ECMO cannulation.
Project description:Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a treatment for acute respiratory distress syndrome. Femoro-atrial cannulation means blood is drained from the inferior vena cava and returned to the superior vena cava; the opposite is termed atrio-femoral. Clinical data comparing these two methods is scarce and conflicting. Using computational fluid dynamics, we aim to compare atrio-femoral and femoro-atrial cannulation to assess the impact on recirculation fraction, under ideal conditions and several clinical scenarios. Using a patient-averaged model of the venae cavae and right atrium, commercially-available cannulae were positioned in each configuration. Additionally, occlusion of the femoro-atrial drainage cannula side-holes with/without reduced inferior vena cava inflow (0-75%) and retraction of the atrio-femoral drainage cannula were modelled. Large-eddy simulations were run for 2-6L/min circuit flow, obtaining time-averaged flow data. The model showed good agreement with clinical atrio-femoral recirculation data. Under ideal conditions, atrio-femoral yielded 13.5% higher recirculation than femoro-atrial across all circuit flow rates. Atrio-femoral right atrium flow patterns resembled normal physiology with a single large vortex. Femoro-atrial cannulation resulted in multiple vortices and increased turbulent kinetic energy at > 3L/min circuit flow. Occluding femoro-atrial drainage cannula side-holes and reducing inferior vena cava inflow increased mean recirculation by 11% and 32%, respectively. Retracting the atrio-femoral drainage cannula did not affect recirculation. These results suggest that, depending on drainage issues, either atrio-femoral or femoro-atrial cannulation may be preferrable. Rather than cannula tip proximity, the supply of available venous blood at the drainage site appears to be the strongest factor affecting recirculation.