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VV ECMO for CDH Patients

Would your ECMO Program consider VV ECMO for CDH Patients? There is much discussion surrounding the most appropriate type of ECMO for a patient with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Take below as an example case study and see the reasons why one would argue VV may be a very appropriate form of ECMO for this […]

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ECMO Specialist

So, now you’re an ECMO SPECIALIST! Fresh out of training at a newly established ECMO Center. All nine pages of the ELSO GUIDELINES for TRAINING ECMO Specialists have been faithfully followed. The initial training, simulation, and precepting has been completed. But that nagging fear about your own readiness for the responsibility of “flying alone” won’t […]

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Baby’s life saved with heart-lung machine at Valley Children’s Hospital

Baby’s life saved with heart-lung machine at Valley Children’s Hospital See short video here: http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article94624477.html#storylink=cpy

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Success of an Expanding ECMO Program

A recent article in The Fresno Bee highlights the success of an expanding ECMO program at Valley Children’s Hospital in Fresno, CA.  Valley Children’s has been providing ECMO support for post-op cardiac surgery patients for some time, but have only expanded beyond that population recently. The article quotes Valley Children’s ECMO Medical director,  “It requires […]

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ECMO Services Team Structure

ECMO services team structure at hospitals across the United States can be complex.  Many institutions starting new programs, growing programs, or needing to adjust their program operations are constantly seeking the best way to structure their ECMO teams to provide the safest, most efficient care to their patients. ECMO Advantage established a survey in 2014 […]

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ECMO for Pulmonary Hypertension

New GUIDELINES from a joint effort of the American Heart Association and American Thoracic Society specify the use of ECMO for Pulmonary Hypertension. For many years ECMOlogists have utilized ECMO for Pulmonary Hypertension of both the newborn as well as pediatric patients. Some have utilized ECMO for Pulmonary Hypertension in adults as well.  For the newborn […]

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Prone Positioning on VV ECMO

Prolonged prone positioning on VV ECMO has recently been reported as beneficial by Levy et al in Annals of Intensive Care.  We presented another blog post in November 2015 related to Prone Positioning on ECMO. Levy’s report does not show improved outcome directly, but unlike some other reports, he shows that by keeping the VV ECMO […]

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ECMO Outcomes Updated

ECMO Outcomes Updated Dec 2015 Are ECMO outcomes dependent on the number of ECMO patients supported at your institution?  Does it really matter how many ECMO patients your program supports?  Do patients suffer by being on ECMO at smaller ECMO programs? There have been a couple of publications recently suggesting that it does matter. A recent […]

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Prophylactic Antibiotic Use on ECMO

Prophylactic antibiotic use on ECMO has historically been a very common practice.  Many institutions are still practicing prophylactic antibiotic use on ECMO but is it justified? A review of the ELSO database published in PEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE in May of 2011 highlighted an overall rate of 11.7% incidence of acquired infections on ECMO from 1998 to 2008.  It’s […]

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