The ProtekDuo in ECMO configuration for ARDS secondary to COVID-19 - a systematic review

Objectives: Assessment of the literature on the ProtekDuo cannula when used as venopulmonary (V-P) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in ARDS secondary to COVID-19. Method(s): Systematic literature search in EMBASE, Medline (Pubmed) and NHS library using appropriate keywords as well as PICOS and PRISMA approach. Result(s): We found 285 publications, of which 5 publications met the search criteria and were included in this review. A total of 194 patients with COVID-19 related ARDS had a ProtekDuo placed to establish venovenous (V-V) ECMO and right ventricular (RV) support. Patients treated with the ProtekDuo cannula had survival rates between between the studies of 59 and 89%, with a significant survival compared to an invasive ventilation group or when compared to dual site V-V ECMO or other double lumen ECMO cannulas. One of the studies focused on extubation and early discontinuation of ventilator support, which the authors achieved in 100% of ProtekDuo patients. The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and use of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) was significantly reduced in the ProtekDuo versus other groups. Conclusion(s): The ProtekDuo displayed lower mortality rates, AKI occurrence and CRRT need as compared to other respiratory support modalities and has shown to be a game changer for ECMO support in patients suffering from COVID-19 ARDS. Many authors suggested the ProtekDuo for first line use in these patients.

SARS-CoV2 infection after vaccination in patients requiring extracorporeal life support: An analysis from the EuroECMO-COVID study group

Objectives: At the beginning of the pandemic, it was believed that severe SARS-CoV2 infection would induce lifelong immunity and that reinfections would be unlikely. However, several cases of reinfection were documented in previously infected patient and the waning humoral immunity has raised significant concerns. Accordingly, long-term and durable vaccineinduce antibody protection against infection have also become a challenge, as several breakthroughs of COVID-19 have been identified in individuals partially or fully vaccinated. This study describes the incidence, the characteristics of severe COVID-19 infections requiring ECMO occurred after vaccination and the presence of side effects related to the vaccine. Method(s): EuroECMO COVID is a prospective, multicenter, observational study, developed by the EuroELSO, based on data from patients aged >=16 years who received ECMO support for refractory COVID-19 during the pandemic in 204 centers. The analysis investigates the survival of vaccinated patient, the associations between management-related variables, the incidence of vaccination during the different pandemic phases, the type of vaccines and the possible side effects. Result(s): Immunosuppressed patients are susceptible to reinfection even after being naturally infected or receiving a full vaccination. Ineffective antibody production, due to relatively ineffective vaccines, inadequate number of doses or the time after vaccination are involved in the pathogenesis of postvaccination infections. This population was found to have a partial immunity due to an inadequate number of doses and an overlapped time from vaccination and SARS-CoV2 incubation with PCR results after being vaccinated. Several manifestations of SARS-CoV2 infection are similar to vaccine-induce side effects and mild symptoms can be presented both as an adverse reaction after vaccination and a result of infection. In this subgroup no side effects were attributable to the vaccine. Conclusion(s): Vaccination does not entirely prevent SARS-CoV2 but will lead to less morbidity and mortality, as demonstrated by less need of ICU and ECMO care. In addition, the partial immunity for inadequate doses of vaccine or through the evolution of new variants demonstrated the importance of further analysis to differentiate the possible causes of waning humoral immunity.

Elso registry analysis-longitudinal trends in bleeding complications on extracorporeal life support (ECLS) over the past twenty years

Background: Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is increasingly used worldwide over the past two decades and new indications are emerging, including extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, trauma and COVID-19 cases. A frequent and remained feared complication is bleeding, and it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. However, trends of bleeding complications and outcomes have been poorly investigated. Methods: Veno-venous (V-V) and veno-arterial (V-A) ECLS patients from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) Registry database between 2000 and 2020 were included. Bleeding complication and mortality trends were analyzed. Bleeding complications included surgical site, cannulation site, gastrointestinal, pulmonary central nervous system and tamponade bleeding. Risk factors for bleeding complications were identified with multivariable analysis. Results: The analysis included 50.444 patients with single ECLS runs, 30.696 patients with V-A ECLS and 19.748 with V-V ECLS. Bleeding complications were reported in 13.534 patients (26.8%) and occurred more often in V-A ECLS compared to V-V ECLS patients (30.0% versus 21.9%). Bleeding patients showed lower hospital survival rates in both groups. Over the past twenty years bleeding complications showed a decreasing trend with a coefficient of -1.124 and -1.661 for V-V and V-A ECLS respectively. Surgical and cannulation site bleeding showed highest negative trend in both ECLS groups. Conclusions: The decrease in bleeding complications, especially cannulation and surgical site related bleeding, over the past two decades suggest improvement in anticoagulation management and possible equipment development. However, the persistent high rates of bleeding complications and association with mortality reinforces the need to understand bleeding complications more thoroughly during ECLS.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome-a Euroelso international survey

RATIONALE There is ongoing dispute whether COVID-19 related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (CARDS) has unique physiology, setting it apart from 'classic' ARDS. While ECMO has proven valuable in the treatment of acute lung failure, little is known about when and how it should be used to support critically ill COVID-19 patients. METHODS We performed an international email survey to assess how ECMO providers worldwide have previously used ECMO during the treatment of critically ill patients with COVID-19. Questions targeted indications to begin ECMO, technical specifications, anticoagulation strategy and reasons for treatment discontinuation. RESULTS 276 centers worldwide responded that they employed ECMO for very severe COVID-19 cases, mostly in veno-venous configuration (87%). The most common reason to establish ECMO was isolated hypoxemic respiratory failure (50%), followed by a combination of hypoxemia and hypercapnia (39%). Only a small fraction of patients required veno-arterial cannulation due to heart failure (3%). Time on ECMO varied between less than two and more than four weeks. The main reason to discontinue ECMO treatment prior to patient's recovery was lack of clinical improvement (53%), followed by major bleeding, mostly intracranially (13%). Only 4% of respondents reported that triage situations, lack of staff or lack of oxygenators were responsible for the discontinuation of ECMO support. Most ECMO physicians (66% ± 26%) agreed that patients with COVID-19 induced ARDS benefitted from ECMO. Overall mortality of COVID-19 patients on ECMO was estimated to be about 55%, scoring higher than what has previously been reported for Influenza patients on ECMO (29-36%). Most ECMO providers agreed that, while COVID-19 patients were longer on ECMO compared to patients with ARDS of different origin, supposed hypercoagulation was hardly an issue during ECMO therapy and oxygenator change was not required more frequently than they were used to. CONCLUSION ECMO has been utilized successfully during the COVID-19 pandemic to stabilize CARDS patients in hypoxemic or hypercapnic lung failure, despite initial recommendations from scientific societies were mostly reluctant. Age and multimorbidity limited the use of ECMO. Triage situations were rarely a concern. ECMO providers stated that patients with severe COVID-19 benefitted from ECMO. An increasing use in patients with respiratory failure in a future stage of the pandemic may be expected. Early apprehensions that COVID-19 related hypercoagulation would result in severe thromboembolic complications during extracorporeal circulation were mostly mitigated judging from survey experience.

Transition from VV to VA or hybrid ECMO: An ELSO Overview

Objective: The use of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) has increased significantly in the last years, and in particular in the recent pandemic COVID-19, representing a valuable therapy to treat severe respiratory failure. However, few patients remain hypoxemic and become hemodynamically instable during V-V ECMO support requiring a change in ECMO configuration. Methods: The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry was reviewed for all cases of adult ARDS in patients undergoing ECMO requiring a change in configuration during the support run. (2017 to 2019). All main aspects, if available, characterizing the patients undergoing ECMO support modifications were collected and analyzed in terms of incidence, causes, patterns, complications and outcomes. Results: Of 9936 V-V ECMO runs, there were 354 ECMO that requiring a in changing configurations (3,5%). Over the study period the proportion of ECMO changing configuration was 1,3% (136) for VA, 1,6% (166) for V-VA and 0,8(85%) for Other configurations with an increasing in configuration changing during the years. The mortality rate in the shifting population was 55%. The new configurations were associated with major bleeding, stroke and renal failure was similar. Main determinants of poor outcome were the severity of the underlying illness, the delay in recognizing evolution of the disease, the complications associated with the conversion itself, and the more complex management of the hybrid setting. Conclusions: Our review of ARDS patients showed the variation in configuration VA ECMO or Hybrid ECMO was not associated with worse survival but with a high rates of complications rates compared with VV ECMO. These data suggest that in very selected patients it may reasonable to initially instituted VV ECMO support, reserving VA or Hybrid ECMO forms for conversion for refractory cardiopulmonary failure and cardiogenic shock that represent the major reasons of VV ECMO failure.

The Novel Coronavirus—Implications of a Global Pandemic on the Practice of Ophthalmology

The year 2020 was dominated by the meteoric rise of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Multiple lifestyle changes, including work from home orders and social distancing, have become the new normal as the world attempts to grapple with the uncertainty resulting from this pandemic. The impact of COVID-19 has been far reaching, disrupting many facets of daily life for people all across the world. Nearly every industry has been required to modify its practice by adopting stricter safety recommendations. Providing quality healthcare in accordance with these guidelines has proved to be a challenge. Ophthalmology has faced unique barriers resulting from COVID-19 because of the proximity to the patient and the duration of the examination required, the diversity and volume of patient encounters, and the unclear ocular manifestations of the virus. This editorial aims to summarize recent literature pertaining to the epidemiology of COVID-19, ocular manifestations of the virus, and information on continued safe practice.