Journal article
Interhospital transfer of seriously sick ARDS patients using veno-venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO): Concept of an ECMO transport team.
- Starck CT Department of Cardiac Surgery, Clinic of Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Hasenclever P
- Falk V
- Wilhelm MJ
- 2013-06-01
Published in:
- International journal of critical illness and injury science. - 2013
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
extracorporeal life support
extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
interhospital transfer
English
BACKGROUND
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy constitutes the last option for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) refractory to conservative treatment. Since primary care centers are unable to provide this therapy, such patients need a transfer to a tertiary care center, which may be life-threatening without extracorporeal support.
METHODS
An ECMO transport team implanted an ECMO at the site of the primary care center with subsequent transport of the patient to the tertiary care center. Between September 2009 and March 2011, six patients with ARDS were treated by our ECMO transport team. Mean age was 39.5±12.0 years. All implantations were done percutaneously in a veno-venous configuration.
RESULTS
No complications occurred during the implant procedure and the subsequent transport. Four patients (67%) were successfully weaned from ECMO-therapy, and discharged from hospital.
CONCLUSION
With a specialized ECMO transport team, ECMO-implantation can be achieved successfully in a peripheral hospital, and patients can be transported safely.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy constitutes the last option for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) refractory to conservative treatment. Since primary care centers are unable to provide this therapy, such patients need a transfer to a tertiary care center, which may be life-threatening without extracorporeal support.
METHODS
An ECMO transport team implanted an ECMO at the site of the primary care center with subsequent transport of the patient to the tertiary care center. Between September 2009 and March 2011, six patients with ARDS were treated by our ECMO transport team. Mean age was 39.5±12.0 years. All implantations were done percutaneously in a veno-venous configuration.
RESULTS
No complications occurred during the implant procedure and the subsequent transport. Four patients (67%) were successfully weaned from ECMO-therapy, and discharged from hospital.
CONCLUSION
With a specialized ECMO transport team, ECMO-implantation can be achieved successfully in a peripheral hospital, and patients can be transported safely.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- green
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.4103/2229-5151.109420
- PMID 23724385
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/94882
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