ABSTRACT
Objectives: To report the epidemiological profile of the patients who underwent extracorporeal life support (ECLS) and then analyze the indications and outcomes of this procedure. Methods: It consisted of a retrospective and descriptive study based on the database from the department of cardiovascular surgery. Setting: University hospital clinic. Patients: One hundred and sixty-one patients have participated in the study. Included were all patients who presented with left-sided heart or biventricular failure. Those who were suffering from either isolate respiratory failure or isolate right ventricle failure were excluded. Interventions: Participants underwent ECLS: central ECLS or peripheral ECLS. Results: The mean age of the patients was 54 years; there were 73% of male patients and the mean duration of ECLS was 5.3 days. There were two types of ECLS: central (71%) and peripheral (29%). Indications for support were dominated by cardiogenic shock in 69%. Bleeding was the most frequent complication (23.5%). The overall in-hospital mortality of patients who underwent ECLS was 60%. Conclusion: The number of ECLS performed increases in proportion to mastery of surgical technique. There is a high rate of mortality and morbidity with ECLS. However, it remains a lifesaving therapy for many clinically urgent situations.