Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), as an extracorporeal life support technology, can provide respiratory support and hemodynamic support according to different modes. The significant advantages of ECMO in the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome and the development of its oxygenator, pump, and heparin-coated circuits have promoted its application and exploration in thoracic surgery. ECMO can be used during the perioperative period of lung transplantation and can be applied for patients who cannot maintain one-lung ventilation, or have a high risk of anesthesia, or undergo complex thoracic surgery involving trachea, carina, mediastinum and esophagus. This article will review the application and progress of ECMO in general thoracic surgery.
Abstract: Objective To study the impact of different kinds of mechanical circulation support devices on plasma free hemoglobin(FHb). Methods From Mar. 2004 to Dec. 2005, 20 patients received mechanical circulation support in Fu Wai Hospital, who were divided into 4 groups according to the different type of supporting devices. 9 got extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment, 8 received BVS5000 left ventricular support, 2 got MEDOS left ventricular support and 1 received AB5000 left ventricular support. Random control group included 9 cardiotomy patients after CPB supporting and 9 patients with offpump coronary artery bypass grafting during the same period. Parameters such as FHb, Tbil, Dbil, Cr and BUN were monitored throughout the supporting term. The results were compared according to the different types of mechanical circulation support devices. Results The elevation of FHb caused by CPB could be decreased to normal within 1d. However, in BVS5000 group, the elevated FHb level decreased to normal till 2 days later. The others mechanical circulation support devices such as ECMO, MEDOS, AB5000 elevated the FHb throughout the whole supporting period. Compared with those in ECMO group, the patients in BVS5000 group had obviously lower level of FHb since the third day after the beginning of supporting. In patients who got ECMO treatment, there was a trend that the elevation degree of FHb was lower in those with support flow rate less than 2.5 L/min. For most patients got devices support, there was also an elevation of Tbil and BUN level during the supporting period. Conclusion Mechanical circulation support devices, such as ECMO, BVS5000, MEDOS and AB5000, can cause red cell destruction in acceptable level. BVS5000 has much smaller impact on cell destruction than others do in postoperative patients.
Although extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been in existence since the 1970s as a means of supporting respiratory or cardiac function, early application of this technology was plagued by high complication rates. Peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) causes higher left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, pulmonary edema, left ventricular distention, ventricular arrhythmia, low coronary perfusion, myocardial ischemia, substantial thrombus formation within left ventricule cavity and even multiple organ dysfunction. Mechanical left ventricular decompression is required to treat these related complications. In this article, we reviewed the problems associated with left ventricular decompression supported by peripheral V-A ECMO in patients with cardiogenic shock.
ObjectiveTo explore the clinical value of fibrinogen-albumin-ratio (FAR) in adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) hemorrhage. MethodsThe clinical data of adult patients receiving ECMO in the West China Hospital from 2018 to 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were divided into a bleeding group and a non-bleeding group based on whether they experienced bleeding after ECMO. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the relationship between FAR and bleeding, as well as risk factors for death. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC) were used to analyze the predictive ability of FAR. According to the optimal cut-off value of FAR for predicting hemorrhage, patients were divided into a high-risk group and a low-risk group, and the occurrence of bleeding was compared between the two groups. ResultsA total of 125 patients were enrolled in this study, including 85 males and 40 females, aged 46.00 (31.50, 55.50) years. Among them, 58 patients received veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and 67 patients received veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO). There were 49 patients having bleeding, and the lactate level was higher (P=0.026), the platelet count before ECMO initiation and 24 h after ECMO initiation was lower (P=0.031, 0.020), the fibrinogen level 24 h after ECMO initiation was lower (P=0.049), and the proportion of myocarditis patients was higher (P=0.017) in the bleeding group than those of the non-bleeding group. In the subgroup analysis of ECMO mode, the higher D-Dimer, lactate level and lower FAR before and 24 h after ECMO initiation were associated with bleeding in the VA-ECMO group (P=0.017, 0.011, 0.033, 0.005). The 24 h FAR was independently correlated with bleeding (P=0.048), and AUC was 0.714. The cut-off value was 55.73. According to this optimal cut-off value, 25 patients were divided into the high-risk group (≤55.73) and 33 into the low-risk group (>55.73). There was a higher incidence of bleeding in the high-risk group compared to the low-risk group (unadjusted P=0.002; P=0.013 for multivariable adjustment). In the VV-ECMO group, the relationship between FAR and bleeding events was not significant (P>0.05). ConclusionLow 24 h FAR is an independent risk factor for bleeding in VA-ECMO patients, and the diagnostic cut-off value is 55.73.
Abstract： Objective To summarize the clinical experiences of performing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on patients with heart and respiratory failure, and compare the clinical outcomes of Medtronic system and Quadrox PLS system. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 121 heart and respiratory failure patients who underwent ECMO treatment in Fu Wai Hospital from December 2004 to December 2009. Based on the different systems used, 121 patients were divided into two groups. In group M, there were 65 patients including 41 males and 24 females, with an age of 26.6±25.9 years; and they accepted Medtronic ECMO system treatment. In group Q, there were 56 patients including 39 males and 17 females, with an age of 32.4±23.9 years and they underwent Quadrox PLS ECMO system treatment. The evaluation of the clinical outcomes of these two different systems was based on the comparison of transmembrane pressure drop (TMPD), anticoagulation, hemolysis, plasma leakage, organ function, complication and hospital mortality between the two groups. Results Compared with group M, ECMO with Quadrox PLS system was associated with lower TMPD (at the beginning of ECMO: 15.0±6.0 mm Hg vs.28.0±5.0 mm Hg, P=0.000; 24 hours later: 16.0±5.0 mm Hg vs. 30.0±7.0 mm Hg, P=0.000) and less thrombus formation(7.1% vs.23.1%, P=0.037), less plasma leakage (0.0% vs. 50.8%, P=0.000), less hemolysis (14.3% vs. 29.2%, P=0.047). There were no significant differences between the two groups in support duration, complication rate, and hospital mortality(Pgt;0.05). Conclusion Both devices have similar effects for safe clinical application, but Quadrox PLS ECMO system has a relatively high biocompatibility with lower TMPD, less plasma leakage, and thrombus formation.
Objective To investigate the predictive value of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) pre-computer multiple scoring systems in the mortality of patients with cardiogenic shock. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 100 patients with cardiogenic shock due to various reasons who were treated with veno-arterial ECMO (VA-ECMO) from July 2020 to July 2022. The patients were followed up for 30 days and divided into a survival group (35 cases) and a death group (65 cases) according to whether they survived 30 days after withdrawal. General clinical data, blood biochemistry data within 24 hours before ECMO, ventilator parameters, past medical history and other data were collected, and sequential organ failure score (SOFA) before VA-ECMO, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHEⅡ), survival after veno-arterial ECMO (SAVE) score and modified SAVE score were calculated. Blood biochemical indicators and clinical scores related to patient prognosis were screened using two-independent sample t test or Man-Whitney U test. The predictive efficacy of each score on short-term prognosis (30-day post-discharge mortality) was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve and area under curve (AUC). Results There were significant differences in APACHEⅡ score, SAVE score and modified SAVE score between two groups (P<0.05). The AUC and its 95%CI of APACHEⅡ score was 0.696 (95%CI 0.592 - 0.801), of SAVE score was 0.617 (95%CI 0.498 - 0.736), and of post SAVE score was 0.664 (95%CI 0.545 - 0.782), respectively. All AUCs were relatively low (<0.75). Conclusion SOFA, APACHEⅡ, SAVE score and modified SAVE score have limited clinical value in the prognosis assessment of ECMO patients, and do not show obvious advantages.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the application of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).MethodsPubMed, The Cochrane Library, EMbase, CBM, WanFang Data and CNKI databases were searched for studies on ECMO for COVID-19 from December 1st, 2019 to December 31st, 2020. Two researchers independently screened literature, extracted data, and evaluated the risk of bias of included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed using RevMan 5.3 software.ResultsA total of 24 studies were included, involving 1 576 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients with COVID-19. The overall mortality of patients was 27.3% (430/1 576). The rate of ECMO treatment was 4.68% (379/1576), and the survival rate was 69.4% (263/379). The mean duration of mechanical ventilation prior to ECMO treatment for ARDS patients ranged from 2.07±0.40 to 15.89±13.0 days, compared with 1.64±0.78 days and 29.9±3.60 days for ECMO treatment. Of the 11 studies included in the meta-analysis, 84.0% (405/482) patients with ARDS received conventional treatment with COVID-19, and 16.0% (77/482) received ECMO treatment on the basis of conventional treatment with ARDS. Results of meta-analysis showed that there was statistically significant difference in the survival rate of ARDS patients with COVID-19 treated with conventional therapy combined with ECMO or with conventional therapy alone (RR=1.27, 95%CI 1.00 to 1.62, P=0.05).ConclusionsThis study suggests that the survival rate of COVID-19 patients after ECMO treatment has a tendency to improve. Due to the limitation of quantity and quality of included studies, the above conclusions are needed to be verified by more high-quality studies.
Objective To analyze the current situation of civil cardiopulmonary bypass, then to give suggestion and prediction for the future of civil cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods Civil hospitals carrying out cardiac operations were inquired with questionnaires annually concerning the scope of cardiac operations being carried out, the ratio of onpump operations and offpump operations, the situation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO), the composition of CPB technicians, and oxygenators being utilized, et al. Results 76 319 cases of cardiac operations were performed in 2003, while 136 015 cases of cardiac operations were performed in 2007 (among them 113 465 cases were CPB, account for 83.42% of cardiac operations). 41 hospitals carried out 153 cases of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO) in 2007. The rate of membrane oxygenator(import) utilization was 46.16%, and the rate of membrane oxygenator(made in China) utilization was 23.9% in 2007. There were 1 497 persons engaged in of CPB in 2007, and among them 55% were doctors. All the perfusionisters had not been trained normally so far. Conclusion Cardiac surgery and CPB technique make rapid progress in china, so persons engaged in CPB need to be trained normally and systematically. In recent years, more and more membrane oxygenators are utilized, and there is a trend that bubble oxygenators would be abandoned finally.
ObjectiveTo summarize the experience of applying extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after cardiac surgery in adult patient. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 27 patients underwent ECMO from December 2011 to October 2013. There were 15 males and 12 females at the mean age of 51±11 years ranging from 41 to 73 years. Vein-artery perfusion was performed in all 27 patients. ResultsAll 27 patients underwent ECMO. The mean time of using ECMO was 81.2±36.4 hours ranging from 48.0-192.0 hours. The mean time of hospital stay was 307.8±97.0 hours ranging from 168.0-480.0 hours. The rate of weaning from ECMO was 77.8% (21/27). The rate of discharge was 51.9% (14/27). The rate of perioperative mortality was 44.4% (12/27). ConclusionEffective monitoring with other supportive equipments is helpful to promote the result of ECMO.
A 69-year-old male was presented with exercise intolerance and progressive exertional dyspnea for 3 months. His main clinical diagnosis were degenerative valvular disease, severe aortic stenosis, severe aortic regurgitation, severe mitral regurgitation, severe tricuspid regurgitation, ventricular electrical storm, chronic heart failure, and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class Ⅳ heart function. He was encountered with sudden ventricular electrical storm in the emergency room. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was impanted beside during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Emergency transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was successfully performed under the guidance of transesophageal echocardiography when hemodynamics permitted. ECMO was withdrawn on the 5th day and discharged on the 21st day. TAVR is safe and effective for the treatment of high-risk aortic stenosis, and ECMO support is the key for the success of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.