Application of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation techniques in heart transplantation operations / 中华器官移植杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinical results of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) technique during the peri-operative heart transplantation. Methods The clinical data of heart transplantations supported by the ECMO were retrospectively analyzed, including during the bridge to transplant, working as routine bypass in the operation room, and supporting the heart failure after surgery. Results Three 3 cases were supported with ECMO to extend the waiting time: 2cases died of multi organ failure during the waiting, and the third one received the heart transplant and the ECMO was successfully removed. Totally 12 cases of heart transplantation received the modified open style ECMO techniques replacing the routine bypass. The ECMO was removed after assistance for (38 ± 14) h. All the recipients except one death recovered well without right ventricular failure or obvious tricuspid regurgitation which was common after heart transplantation. Ten cases received ECMO support for the heart failure after the transplant. The initial application time ranged from 2 h to 2 days and lasted 43～176 h. One died of infection and two died of multi organ failure nothing to do with ECMO application and other 7 discharged with NYHA Ⅰ/Ⅱ cardiac function. Conclusion Early use of ECMO could safely bridge the heart failure patients to the transplant. Replacing the routine with ECMO techniques in the heart transplantation could get good myocardial protection results even with long cold ischemic time and improve the cardiac function recovery. For the heart failure patients after the surgery the ECMO could afford good support effect.