Syndrome of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): a report of 7 cases / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To summarize and analyze the experiences on clinical application of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and on the prevention of complications. Methods Seven patients, suffered from heart and respiratory failure after heart surgeries with no obvious curative effect by conventional therapy, were treated with ECMO adjunctively. Centrifugal pump assistant device was adopted for five cases, while the other two cases were treated with pulsated pump assistant device, and vasoactive agents were used in all the seven cases. Results After using of ECMO, two cases died of pulmonary infection, one died of thrombosis, one died of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) induced by hemolysis, and the other three cases were successfully recovered and discharged after treatment. Other complications included hemorrhage, right heart failure, arrhythmia and hypotension, etc., and were recovered after treatment. Conclusions Clinical symptoms must be monitored after cardiac surgical operations, and ECMO should be used adjunctively once heart and/or respiratory failure appear. During the ECMO treatment, it is also import to prevent from the complications, once they occur, active therapies must be carried out to save the patients' lives.