Relationship between indexed surgery and postcardiotomy extracorporeal life support outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Veno-arterial extracorporeal life support (V-A ECLS) is increasingly being utilized for postcardiotomy shock (PCS), though data describing the relationship between type of indexed operation and outcomes are limited. This study compared V-A ECLS outcomes across four major cardiovascular surgical procedures. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study of patients who required V-A ECLS for PCS between 2015 and 2022. Patients were stratified by the type of indexed operation, which included aortic surgery (AoS), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), valve surgery (Valve), and combined CABG and valve surgery (CABG + Valve). Factors associated with postoperative outcomes were assessed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 149 PCS patients who received V-A ECLS, there were 35 AoS patients (23.5%), 29 (19.5%) CABG patients, 59 (39.6%) Valve patients, and 26 (17.4%) CABG + Valve patients. Cardiopulmonary bypass times were longest in the AoS group (p < 0.01). Regarding causes of PCS, AoS patients had a greater incidence of ventricular failure, while the CABG group had a higher incidence of ventricular arrhythmia (p = 0.04). Left ventricular venting was most frequently utilized in the Valve group (p = 0.07). In-hospital mortality was worst among CABG + Valve patients (p < 0.01), and the incidence of acute kidney injury was highest in the AoS group (p = 0.03). In multivariable logistic regression, CABG + Valve surgery (odds ratio (OR) 4.20, 95% confidence interval 1.30-13.6, p = 0.02) and lactate level at ECLS initiation (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.06-1.29; p < 0.01) were independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that indications, management, and outcomes of V-A ECLS for PCS vary by type of indexed cardiovascular surgery.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the therapy of cardiogenic shock: 1-year outcomes of the multicentre, randomized ECMO-CS trial.

AIMS: Among patients with cardiogenic shock, immediate initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) did not demonstrate any benefit at 30 days. The present study evaluated 1-year clinical outcomes of the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in the therapy of Cardiogenic Shock (ECMO-CS) trial. METHODS AND RESULTS: The ECMO-CS trial randomized 117 patients with severe or rapidly progressing cardiogenic shock to immediate initiation of ECMO or early conservative strategy. The primary endpoint for this analysis was 1-year all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints included a composite of death, resuscitated cardiac arrest or implantation of another mechanical circulatory support device, duration of mechanical ventilation, and the length of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stays. In addition, an unplanned post-hoc subgroup analysis was performed. At 1 year, all-cause death occurred in 40 of 58 (69.0%) patients in the ECMO arm and in 40 of 59 (67.8%) in the early conservative arm (hazard ratio [HR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66-1.58; p = 0.93). The composite endpoint occurred in 43 (74.1%) patients in the ECMO group and in 47 (79.7%) patients in the early conservative group (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.55-1.25; p = 0.29). The durations of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay and hospital stay were comparable between groups. Significant interaction with treatment strategy and 1-year mortality was observed in subgroups according to baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP) indicating lower mortality in the subgroup with low baseline MAP (<63 mmHg: HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.29-1.16; pinteraction = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with severe or rapidly progressing cardiogenic shock, immediate initiation of ECMO did not improve clinical outcomes at 1 year compared to the early conservative strategy. However, immediate ECMO initiation might be beneficial in patients with advanced haemodynamic compromise.

Congenital Heart Defects and Concurrent Diagnoses in Influenza Hospitalization in the Pediatric Health Information System Study, 2004-2019.

Influenza is associated with adverse outcomes in children, although modification by additional medical conditions is not well-documented. We aimed to compare outcomes in children with versus without congenital heart defects (CHDs) who were hospitalized for influenza. We retrospectively evaluated patients 1-18y hospitalized for influenza in the Pediatric Health Information (PHIS) database from 2004 to 2019. Outcomes were compared by CHD presence and then by CHD severity (minor biventricular, major biventricular, and single ventricle disease) using log-binomial regression adjusted for propensity scores accounting for age at admission, sex, and history of asthma. Outcomes included inpatient mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation, and length of stay (LOS) > 12 days. To evaluate for effect modification by genetic diagnoses, analyses were repeated stratified by CHD and genetic diagnosis. Among 55,161 children hospitalized for influenza, 2369 (4.3%) had CHDs, including 963 with minor biventricular, 938 with major biventricular, and 468 with single ventricle CHDs. Adjusting for propensity scores, children with CHDs had higher mortality (4.1% versus 0.9%) compared to those without CHDs (risk ratio [RR] 2.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9-3.4). Children with CHDs were at higher risk of mechanical ventilation (RR 1.6, 95% CI 1.6-1.7), ICU admission (RR 1.9, 95% CI 1.8-2.1), and LOS > 12 days (RR 2.2, 95% CI 2.0-2.3). Compared to those with neither CHD nor genetic condition, children with both had significantly higher risk of all outcomes, with the largest difference for LOS > 12 days (RR 2.3, 95% CI 2.0-2.7). Children with CHDs hospitalized for influenza are particularly susceptible to adverse outcomes compared to those without CHDs. Future studies are needed to corroborate findings in light of influenza vaccination.

A training programme for novice extracorporeal resuscitation providers.

Introduction: The use of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) for refractory cardiac arrest is increasing globally. However, providing equity of access to all patients is challenging, and to date, access has been limited to inner city areas surrounding major hospitals. To increase the availability of ECPR in our jurisdiction, we sought to train pre-hospital physicians with no experience in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). To enable this, we sort to develop and teach a syllabus that would provide novice ECPR providers the skill to perform ECPR safely and effectively in the pre-hospital environment. Methods: This training programme consisted of 11 pre-hospital physicians and six critical care paramedics. All participants had no prior hospital experience instituting or managing ECPR patients. The training programme was multimodal utilising a porcine model of heart failure to teach time pressured dynamic physiological troubleshooting, cadaver labs to teach cannulation, didactic teaching and simulation. Key knowledge and skill domains were identified. Each learning framework was built upon with a final focus on integrating all skill domains required to successfully initiate ECPR. Results: The training program was completed from February 2022 to August 2023. Knowledge progression was assessed at key stages via written and practical examination. Each participant demonstrated clear knowledge and skill progression at the key stages of the training programme. At the end of the training programme, participants met the pre-defined standards to progress to ECPR provision in the pre-hospital environment. Conclusion: We present a training program for novice ECPR providers performing ECPR in the pre-hospital setting. The outcomes of this training program can provide a training framework for both novices, low volume ECMO centres and pre-hospital clinicians.

Planned Venovenous-Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation as a Bridge to Orthotopic Liver Transplant Performed for Very Severe Hepatopulmonary Syndrome: A Case Report.

Concerns related to poor oxygenation in patients with severe hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) may be prohibitive when considering their candidacy for liver transplantation. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been utilized in only a few case reports as a bridge to liver transplant in patients with severe respiratory failure. We report a case of a 66-year-old man with cirrhosis and very severe (arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2) < 50 mmHg) hepatopulmonary syndrome who underwent an orthotopic liver transplant with the planned use of venovenous-ECMO. Pre-transplant echocardiography demonstrated a small-trivial patent foramen ovale (PFO) but following the resolution of hepatopulmonary shunting after liver transplantation, the PFO size enlarged and contributed to a thromboembolic stroke. We conclude that well-selected patients with HPS could benefit from the use of planned venovenous-ECMO and that a small-trivial PFO seen in a patient with HPS may warrant intervention prior to transplantation.

Outcomes of continuous renal replacement therapy versus peritoneal dialysis as a renal replacement therapy modality in patients undergoing Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

INTRODUCTION: The optimal modality for renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) remains unclear. This study aimed to compare outcomes between continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in VA-ECMO patients. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study included VA-ECMO patients who developed AKI and subsequently required CRRT or PD. Data on patient demographics, comorbidities, clinical characteristics, RRT modality, and outcomes were collected. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, with secondary outcomes including length of stays, RRT durations, and complications associated with RRT. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients were included (72.1% male, mean age 58.2 ± 15.7 years). Of these, 21 received CRRT and 22 received PD during ECMO therapy. In-hospital mortality rates did not significantly differ between CRRT and PD groups (80.9% vs 90.9%, p = 0.35). However, PD was associated with a higher incidence of catheter-related complications, including malposition (31.8% vs 4.7%, p = 0.046), infection (22.7% vs 4.7%, p = 0.19), and bleeding (18.2% vs 9.5%, p = 0.66), respectively. CONCLUSION: Among patients receiving VA-ECMO-supported RRT, our study revealed comparable in-hospital mortality rates between CRRT and PD, although PD was associated with a higher incidence of catheter-related complications.

Racial Health Disparity Associated With Poor Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Outcomes: A Multicentered, Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Health disparities are known to play a role in pediatric cardiac surgery outcomes. Objectives: Risk factors associated with poor clinical outcomes were assessed. Methods: Using Pediatric Health Information System Database, pediatric subjects undergoing cardiac surgery using International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision from October 2015 to December 2020 were evaluated. Subjects were categorized by case complexity using the newly validated Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery-2 (RACHS-2). Multivariable regression analyses were conducted to ascertain risk factors. Results: A total of 59,856 subjects, median age 7.4 months (IQR: 1.5-61 months) were included; 38,917 (low), 9,833 (medium), and 11,106 (high) RACHS-2. Overall, hospital mortality was 3% and postoperative length of stay (LOS) was 7 days (IQR: 4-18 days), with significant increases in both mortality and postoperative LOS from low to high RACHS-2 scores by multivariable analysis, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox regression. Mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, infection, and surgical complication were most significantly associated with increased mortality by 1.198 to 10.227 times (P < 0.008). After controlling for these significant variables as well as RACHS-2, age at surgery and emergency/urgent admission type, multivariable analysis revealed that non-White race was associated with increased mortality (relative risk: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.729-0.955, P = 0.008) and increased postoperative LOS by 1.04 days (95% CI: 0.95-0.97, P < 0.001). This significant increase in both clinical outcomes was concordant in non-White neonates (mortality relative risk: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6, P = 0.003; and postoperative LOS by 2.05 weeks (95% CI: 1.36-3.10, P < 0.001). Conclusions: The influence of racial differences in neonates and children should be further evaluated to mitigate any disparity in those undergoing cardiac surgery.

Utility of Adjunctive Impella Support to Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for a Refractory Electrical Storm.

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) stabilizes hemodynamics in an electrical storm leading to cardiogenic shock. However, adverse effects of VA-ECMO are increased left ventricular (LV) afterload and LV end-diastolic pressure due to retrograde blood return. These adverse effects could be ameliorated by LV unloading with Impella insertion. This case illustrates the possible efficacy of adjunctive Impella insertion for a refractory electrical storm that is resistant to defibrillation under mechanical support with VA-ECMO for cardiogenic shock.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)-Assisted Tracheostomy in a Patient with a "Woody Neck" Due to Radiation Therapy and Complicated by Bilateral Internal Jugular Vein Occlusion: A Case Report.

Radiation for head and neck cancer (HNC) can lead to neck fibrosis, commonly known as "woody neck", limiting neck mobility. We report the case of a 46-year-old male with a history of tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma, with a "woody neck" following multiple radiation treatments. Facial swelling and impending airway loss prompted emergent intubation. Despite nasotracheal tube placement, bilateral internal jugular vein occlusion led to a difficult tracheostomy. An airway exchange catheter (AEC) facilitated multiple attempts at tracheal cannulation, but due to challenging anatomy, prolonged nasotracheal intubation was maintained. Tracheostomy was attempted again with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, which resulted in successful tracheal cannulation.

Feasibility and Outcomes of a Cardiovascular Medicine Inclusive Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Service.

Background: There has been a significant increase in the utilization of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) in recent years. Cardiothoracic surgery teams have historically led VA-ECMO care teams, with little data available on alternative care models. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of a cardiovascular medicine inclusive VA-ECMO service, analyzing patients treated with peripheral VA-ECMO at a large quaternary care center from 2018 to 2022. The primary outcome was death while on VA-ECMO or within 24 hours of decannulation. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify predictors of the primary outcome. Results: Two hundred forty-four patients were included in the analysis (median age 61 years; 28.7% female), of whom 91.8% were cannulated by interventional cardiologists, and 84.4% were managed by a cardiology service comprised of interventional cardiologists, cardiac intensivists or advanced heart failure cardiologists. Indications for VA-ECMO included acute myocardial infarction (34.8%), decompensated heart failure (30.3%), and refractory cardiac arrest (10.2%). VA-ECMO was utilized during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 26.6% of cases, 48% of which were peri-procedural arrest. Of the patients, 46% survived to decannulation, the majority of whom were decannulated percutaneously in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. There was no difference in survival following cannulation by a cardiac surgeon vs interventional cardiologist (50% vs 45%; P = .90). Complications included arterial injury (3.7%), compartment syndrome (4.1%), cannulation site infection (1.2%), stroke (14.8%), acute kidney injury (52.5%), access site bleeding (16%) and need for blood transfusion (83.2%). Elevated baseline lactate (odds ratio [OR], 1.13 per unit increase) and sequential organ failure assessment score (OR, 1.27 per unit increase) were independently associated with the primary outcome. Conversely, an elevated baseline survival after VA ECMO score (OR, 0.92 per unit increase) and 8-hour serum lactate clearance (OR, 0.98 per % increase) were independently associated with survival. Conclusions: The use of a cardiovascular medicine inclusive ECMO service is feasible and may be practical in select centers as indications for VA-ECMO expand.

Extracorporeal Mechanical Circulatory Support after Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy: Experience of One Center.

PURPOSE: Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) is the treatment for patients with chronic thromboembolic disease. In the immediate postoperative period, some patients may still experience life-threatening complications such as reperfusion lung injury, airway bleeding, and persistent pulmonary hypertension with consequent right ventricular dysfunction. These issues may require support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge to recovery or lung transplantation. This study aims to analyze our series of PTEs that require ECMO. METHODS: A descriptive and retrospective analysis of all PTE performed at the Favaloro Foundation University Hospital was conducted between March 2013 and December 2023. RESULTS: A total of 42 patients underwent PTE with a median age of 47 years (interquartile range: 26-76). The incidence of patients with ECMO was 26.6%, of which 53.6% were veno-venous (VV) ECMO. Preoperatively, a low cardiac index (CI), high right and left filling pressures, and high total pulmonary vascular resistances (PVRs) were associated with ECMO with a statistically significant relationship. The hospital mortality was 11.9%, and the mortality in the ECMO group was 45.5%, with a statistically significant relationship. Veno-arterial ECMO has a worse prognosis than VV ECMO. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperatively, a low CI, high right and left filling pressures, and high total PVRs were associated with ECMO after PTE.

Critical hematological parameters in bleeding during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.

Bleeding complications are frequently observed in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and are associated with increased mortality. Due to the complex mechanisms, managing bleeding during ECMO remains a challenge. Acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS) in ECMO highlights a potentially reduced affinity of von Willebrand factor (vWF) for binding to platelets and collagen in response to vascular damage, thus contributing to increased bleeding in ECMO patients. Conventional coagulation parameters are incomplete predictors for bleeding in ECMO patients, whereas AVWS is often overlooked due to the absence of vWF evaluation in the coagulation profile. Therefore, clinical physicians should evaluate AVWS in patients experiencing bleeding complications during ECMO support.

Hyperfibrinolysis: potential guidance for decision-making to avoid futile extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is associated with very poor outcomes. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) for selected patients is a potential therapeutic option for refractory cardiac arrest. However, randomised controlled studies applying eCPR after refractory OHCA have demonstrated conflicting results regarding survival and good functional neurological outcomes. eCPR is an invasive, labour-intensive, and expensive therapeutic approach with associated side-effects. A rapid monitoring device would be valuable in facilitating selection of appropriate patients for this expensive and complex treatment. To this end, rapid diagnosis of hyperfibrinolysis, or premature clot dissolution, diagnosed by viscoelastic testing might represent a feasible option. Hyperfibrinolysis is an evolutionary response to low or no-flow states. Studies in trauma patients demonstrate a high mortality rate in those with established hyperfibrinolysis upon emergency room admission. Similar findings have now been reported for the first time in OHCA patients. Hyperfibrinolysis upon admission diagnosed by rotational thromboelastometry was strongly associated with mortality and poor neurological outcomes in a small cohort of patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Neurologic complications in patients receiving aortic versus subclavian versus femoral arterial cannulation for post-cardiotomy extracorporeal life support: results of the PELS observational multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral perfusion may change depending on arterial cannulation site and may affect the incidence of neurologic adverse events in post-cardiotomy extracorporeal life support (ECLS). The current study compares patients' neurologic outcomes with three commonly used arterial cannulation strategies (aortic vs. subclavian/axillary vs. femoral artery) to evaluate if each ECLS configuration is associated with different rates of neurologic complications. METHODS: This retrospective, multicenter (34 centers), observational study included adults requiring post-cardiotomy ECLS between January 2000 and December 2020 present in the Post-Cardiotomy Extracorporeal Life Support (PELS) Study database. Patients with Aortic, Subclavian/Axillary and Femoral cannulation were compared on the incidence of a composite neurological end-point (ischemic stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, brain edema). Secondary outcomes were overall in-hospital mortality, neurologic complications as cause of in-hospital death, and post-operative minor neurologic complications (seizures). Association between cannulation and neurological outcomes were investigated through linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: This study included 1897 patients comprising 26.5% Aortic (n = 503), 20.9% Subclavian/Axillary (n = 397) and 52.6% Femoral (n = 997) cannulations. The Subclavian/Axillary group featured a more frequent history of hypertension, smoking, diabetes, previous myocardial infarction, dialysis, peripheral artery disease and previous stroke. Neuro-monitoring was used infrequently in all groups. Major neurologic complications were more frequent in Subclavian/Axillary (Aortic: n = 79, 15.8%; Subclavian/Axillary: n = 78, 19.6%; Femoral: n = 118, 11.9%; p < 0.001) also after mixed-effects model adjustment (OR 1.53 [95% CI 1.02-2.31], p = 0.041). Seizures were more common in Subclavian/Axillary (n = 13, 3.4%) than Aortic (n = 9, 1.8%) and Femoral cannulation (n = 12, 1.3%, p = 0.036). In-hospital mortality was higher after Aortic cannulation (Aortic: n = 344, 68.4%, Subclavian/Axillary: n = 223, 56.2%, Femoral: n = 587, 58.9%, p < 0.001), as shown by Kaplan-Meier curves. Anyhow, neurologic cause of death (Aortic: n = 12, 3.9%, Subclavian/Axillary: n = 14, 6.6%, Femoral: n = 28, 5.0%, p = 0.433) was similar. CONCLUSIONS: In this analysis of the PELS Study, Subclavian/Axillary cannulation was associated with higher rates of major neurologic complications and seizures. In-hospital mortality was higher after Aortic cannulation, despite no significant differences in incidence of neurological cause of death in these patients. These results encourage vigilance for neurologic complications and neuromonitoring use in patients on ECLS, especially with Subclavian/Axillary cannulation.

Definition and management of right ventricular injury in adult patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for respiratory support using the Delphi method: a PRORVnet study. Expert position statements.

PURPOSE: Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is an integral part of the management algorithm of patients with severe respiratory failure refractory to evidence-based conventional treatments. Right ventricular injury (RVI) pertaining to abnormalities in the dimensions and/or function of the right ventricle (RV) in the context of VV-ECMO significantly influences mortality. However, in the absence of a universally accepted RVI definition and evidence-based guidance for the management of RVI in this very high-risk patient cohort, variations in clinical practice continue to exist. METHODS: Following a systematic search of the literature, an international Steering Committee consisting of eight healthcare professionals involved in the management of patients receiving ECMO identified domains and knowledge gaps pertaining to RVI definition and management where the evidence is limited or ambiguous. Using a Delphi process, an international panel of 52 Experts developed Expert position statements in those areas. The process also conferred RV-centric overarching open questions for future research. Consensus was defined as achieved when 70% or more of the Experts agreed or disagreed on a Likert-scale statement or when 80% or more of the Experts agreed on a particular option in multiple-choice questions. RESULTS: The Delphi process was conducted through four rounds and consensus was achieved on 31 (89%) of 35 statements from which 24 Expert position statements were derived. Expert position statements provided recommendations for RVI nomenclature in the setting of VV-ECMO, a multi-modal diagnostic approach to RVI, the timing and parameters of diagnostic echocardiography, and VV-ECMO settings during RVI assessment and management. Consensus was not reached on RV-protective driving pressure thresholds or the effect of prone positioning on patient-centric outcomes. CONCLUSION: The proposed definition of RVI in the context of VV-ECMO needs to be validated through a systematic aggregation of data across studies. Until further evidence emerges, the Expert position statements can guide informed decision-making in the management of these patients.

Iatrogenic HLH.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) can be categorized as either primary (familial, generally occurring in infants) or secondary (sHLH, occurring at any age in association with a variety of conditions) and is mainly triggered by infections, autoimmune diseases, and malignant conditions. Our understanding of the pathophysiology of sHLH is still evolving, and among the causes and associations with the syndrome, those putatively associated with iatrogenic causes remain among the most poorly understood due to the rarity of these entities and the multiple confounders so often present in the patients in whom they are reported. Herein, we present a review of the literature to describe the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of sHLH associated with iatrogenic causes and discuss some of the challenges and future directions in our efforts to better understand these complex conditions for the advancement of patient outcomes.

Acute kidney injury as a prognostic predictor of in-hospital mortality and neurological outcomes in patients after extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

INTRODUCTION: Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is increasingly being applied to patients with refractory cardiac arrest, but the survival rate to hospital discharge is only approximately 29%. Because ECPR requires intensive resources, it is important to predict outcomes. We therefore investigated the prognostic association between acute kidney injury (AKI) and ECPR to confirm the performance of AKI as a prognostic predictor of in-hospital mortality and neurological outcomes in ECPR. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study on patients undergoing ECPR for cardiac etiology at Chonnam National University Hospital from 2015 to 2021. The group diagnosed with AKI in any KDIGO category within the first 48 h after ECPR was compared to that without AKI, and the primary outcome of the study was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Of 138 enrolled patients, 83 were studied. Hospital mortality occurred in 49 patients (59%), and 55 (66.3%) showed poor neurological outcomes. The AKI group displayed significantly elevated in-hospital mortality (77.8% vs 24.1%) and poor neurological outcomes (81.5% vs 37.9%) compared to the non-AKI group (p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that AKI was associated with significantly higher rates of both in-hospital mortality (odds ratio (OR) range 10.75-12.88) and neurologic outcomes (OR range 5.9-6.22). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant association of AKI with both in-hospital mortality and poor neurologic outcome in patients after ECPR, and AKI can be used as an early prognostic predictor in these patients.

Effect of Atrial Septostomy on Left Ventricular Function in Pediatric Dilated Cardiomyopathy Requiring ECMO.

Balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) reduces left ventricular (LV) hypertension during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). However, the acute effect of BAS on LV function as measured by echocardiography is unknown. This was a Retrospective analysis of clinical outcome, LV dimensions, and LV function in dilated cardiomyopathy patients 0-18 years old who underwent BAS on ECMO. In 13 patients with median (IQR) age of 2.3 (0.6-10.9) years, there were no differences in clinical markers of cardiac output at intervals between 12 h before and 6 days after BAS. In addition, BAS was associated with a low rate of periprocedural complications (0.0%), acute kidney injury (7.7%), and worsening radiographic pulmonary vascular congestion (30.7%). There was a significant worsening in LV end systolic diameter (LVIDs; 3.6 [2.9-4.8] cm vs 4.2 [3.2-5.6] cm vs 3.3 [2.6-4.6] cm, p = 0.025), LV end systolic posterior wall thickness (LVPWs; 0.7 [0.5-0.9] cm vs 0.6 [0.5-0.9] cm vs 0.8 [0.6-1.2] cm, p = 0.038), fractional shortening (FS; 17.6% [8.4-20.4%] vs 6.3% [2.0-9.9%] vs 13.2% [3.6-23.4%], p = 0.013), and ejection fraction (EF; 13.1% [8.7-18.9%] vs 5.3% [2.5-11.1%] vs 9.2% [6.0-16.3%], p = 0.039) following BAS that improved in approximately 1 week. There were no differences in LV global longitudinal strain following BAS. We conclude that BAS was associated with low procedural and clinical adverse event rates in our cohort. The worsening LVIDs, LVPWs, FS, and EF seen immediately after the procedure suggests that BAS causes altered loading conditions affecting LV function in pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy requiring ECMO.

Early recognition and mobilization of resources in managing amniotic fluid embolism for a high-risk obstetric patient: A case report.

A 33-year-old woman, gravida 3 para 2, at 39 weeks of gestation, undergoing induction of labor, had a seizure. She was transferred to the operating room and underwent a cesarean delivery for non-reassuring fetal status. An amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) was suspected given her cardiovascular collapse, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and early right heart failure. Early mobilization of resources (e.g., blood bank, gynecology oncology, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) was necessary as the hospital was in a stand-alone building. Biomarkers were sent during the acute event. The creation of an AFE order set is discussed.