An Intensivist-Led Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Program: Design, Implementation, and Outcomes of the First Five Years.

We describe the development, implementation, and outcomes of an intensivist-led adult extracorporeal life support (ECLS) program using intensivists both to perform venovenous (V-V), venoarterial (V-A), and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) cannulations, and to manage patients on ECLS throughout their ICU course. All adults supported with ECLS at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) from February 1, 2017 to December 31, 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 203 ECLS cannulations were performed in 198 patients, including 116 V-A cannulations (including 65 during ECPR) and 87 V-V cannulations (including 38 in patients with COVID-19). UNMH intensivists performed 195 cannulations, with 9 cannulation complications. Cardiothoracic surgeons performed 8 cannulations. Overall survival to hospital discharge or transfer was 46.5%. Survival was 32.3% in the ECPR group and 56% in the non-ECPR V-A group. In the V-V cohort, survival was 66.7% in the COVID-19-negative patients and 34.2% in the COVID-19-positive patients. This large series of intensivist-performed ECLS cannulations-including V-A, V-V, and ECPR modalities-demonstrates the successful implementation of a comprehensive intensivist-led ECLS program. With outcomes comparable to those in the literature, our program serves as a model for the initiation and development of ECLS programs in settings with limited access to local subspecialty cardiothoracic surgical services.

E-CPR in Cardiac Arrest due to Accidental Hypothermia Using Intensivist Cannulators: A Case Series of Nine Consecutive Patients.

Background: Severe accidental hypothermia (AH) accounts for over 1300 deaths/year in the United States. Early extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is recommended for hypothermic cardiac arrest. We describe the use of a rapid-deployment extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (E-CPR) team using intensivist physicians (IPs) as cannulators and report the outcomes of consecutive patients cannulated for ECLS to manage cardiac arrest due to AH. Methods: We reviewed all patients managed with veno-arterial (V-A) ECLS for hypothermic cardiac arrest between January 1, 2017 and November 1, 2021. For each patient- age, sex, cause of hypothermia, initial core temperature, initial rhythm, time from arrest to cannulation, cannula configuration, pH, lactate, potassium, cannulation complications, duration of ECLS, hospital length of stay, mortality, and cerebral performance category (CPC) at discharge were reviewed. Results: Nine consecutive patients were identified that underwent V-A ECLS for cardiac arrest due to AH. Seven (78%) were witnessed arrests. Initial rhythm was ventricular fibrillation (VF) in eight patients and pulseless electrical activity (PEA) in one. The mean initial core temperature was 23.8 degrees Celsius. The mean time from arrest to cannulation was 58 min (range 17 to 251 min). There were no complications related to cannulation. The mean duration of ECLS was 39.1 h. All nine patients were discharged alive with a Cerebral Performance score of one or two. Conclusion: In this case series of consecutive patients reporting intensivist-deployed E-CPR for cardiac arrest due to AH, all patients survived to discharge with a favorable neurologic outcome. A rapidly available E-CPR team utilizing intensivist cannulators may improve outcomes in patients with cardiac arrest due to AH.

Transesophageal Echocardiography Performed by Intensivist and Emergency Physicians-A 5-Year, Single-Center Experience.

Purpose: Data on the use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) by intensivist physicians (IP) and emergency physicians (EP) are limited. This study aims to characterize the use of TEE by IPs and EPs in critically ill patients at a single center in the United States. Materials and Methods: Retrospective chart review of all critical care TEEs performed from January 1, 2016 to January 31, 2021. The personnel performing the exams, location of the exams, characteristics of exams, complications, and outcome of the patients were reviewed. Results: A total of 396 examinations was reviewed. TEE was performed by IPs (92%) and EPs (9%). The location of TEE included: intensive care unit (87%), emergency department (11%), and prehospital (2%) settings. The most common indications for TEE were: hemodynamic instability/shock (44%), cardiac arrest (23%), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) facilitation, adjustment, or weaning (21%). The most common diagnosis based on TEE were: normal TEE (25%), left ventricular dysfunction (19%), and vasodilatory shock (15%). A management change resulted from 89% of exams performed. Complications occurred in 2% of critical care TEEs. Conclusion: TEE can be successfully performed by IPs and EPs on critically ill patients in multiple clinical settings. TEE frequently informed management changes with few complications.

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an effective management strategy for massive pulmonary embolism patients.

OBJECTIVE: Treatment of massive pulmonary embolism (MPE) is controversial, with mortality rates ranging from 25% to 65%. Patients commonly present with profound shock or cardiac arrest. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is increasingly being used as a form of acute cardiopulmonary support in critically ill patients. We reviewed our institution's pulmonary embolism response team experience using VA-ECMO for patients presenting with advanced shock and/or cardiac arrest from MPE. METHODS: From March 2017 to July 2019 we retrospectively reviewed 17 consecutive patients at our institution with MPE who were placed on VA-ECMO for initial hemodynamic stabilization. RESULTS: The mean patient age and body mass index was 55.8 years and 31.8, respectively. Ten of 17 patients (59%) required cardiopulmonary resuscitation before or during VA-ECMO cannulation. All patients had evidence of profound shock with a mean initial lactate of 8.95 mmol/L, a mean pH of 7.10, and a mean serum creatinine of 1.78 mg/dL. Seventeen of 17 cannulations (100%) were performed percutaneously, with 41% (n = 7) of patients placed on VA-ECMO while awake and using local analgesia. Five of 17 patients (29%) required reperfusion cannulas, with 0% incidence of limb loss. Overall survival was 13 of 17 patients (76%), with causes of death resulting from anoxic brain injury (n = 2), septic shock (n = 1), and cardiopulmonary resuscitation-induced hemorrhage from liver laceration (n = 1). In survivors, 12 of 13 patients (92%) were discharged without evidence of neurologic insult. The median duration of the VA-ECMO run for survivors was 86 hours (range, 45-218 hours). In survivors, the median length of time from ECMO cannulation to lactate clearance (<2.0 mmol/L) was 10 hours and the median length of time from ECMO cannulation to freedom from vasopressors was 6 hours. Three of 13 patients (23%) required concomitant percutaneous thrombectomy and catheter-directed thrombolysis to address persistent right heart dysfunction, with the remaining survivors (77%) receiving VA-ECMO and anticoagulation alone as definitive therapy for their MPE. The median intensive care and hospital length of stay for survivors was 9 and 13 days, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: VA-ECMO was effective at salvaging highly unstable patients with MPE. Survivors had rapid reversal of multiple organ failure with ECMO as their primary therapy. The majority of survivors required ECMO and anticoagulation alone for definitive therapy of their MPE.

Safety of Transesophageal Echocardiography Performed by Intensivists and Emergency Physicians in Critically Ill Patients With Coagulopathy and Thrombocytopenia: A Single-Center Experience.

INTRODUCTION: The use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) by intensivist physicians (IPs) and emergency physicians (EPs) in critically ill patients is increasing in the intensive care unit, emergency department, and prehospital environments. Coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia are common in critically ill patients. The risk of performing TEE in these patients is unknown. The goal of this study was to assess whether TEE is safe when performed by IPs or EPs in critically ill patients with high bleeding risk (HBR). METHODS: All TEEs performed by an IP or EP between January 1, 2016, and July 31, 2019, were reviewed as part of a quality assurance database. A TEE performed on a patient was deemed HBR if the patient met at least one of the following criteria: undergoing therapeutic anticoagulation, had an INR > 2, activated partial thromboplastin time >40 seconds, fibrinogen <150 mg/dL, and/or platelet count <50 000/µL. The medical record was reviewed on each patient to determine whether upper esophageal bleeding, oropharyngeal bleeding, esophageal perforation, or dislodgement of an artificial airway occurred during or after the TEE. RESULTS: A total of 228 examinations were reviewed: 80 in the high-risk group and 148 in the low-risk group (LBR). There were complications potentially attributable to TEE in 8 (4%) of the 228 exams. Total complications were not different between groups: 4 (5%) in the HBR group versus 4 (3%) in the LBR group (odds ratio [OR] = 1.89 [0.34-10.44], P =.368). Upper esophageal bleeding occurred in 5 total examinations (2%), which was not different between groups: 3 (4%) in the HBR group and 2 (1%) in the LBR group (OR = 2.84 [0.31-34.55], P = .238). There were no deaths attributable to TEE in either group. CONCLUSION: Transesophageal echocardiography can be safely performed by IPs and EPs in critically ill patients at high risk of bleeding with minimal complications.