Early experience with the Levitronix Centrimag device for extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation following lung transplantation.

ABSTRACT

Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is accepted as a salvage therapy to treat life-threatening complications following lung transplantation such as primary graft dysfunction, acute rejection or airway dehiscence. Levitronix Centrimag (Levitronix LLC, Waltham, MA) is a centrifugal pump that consists of a magnetically levitated bearing-less rotor designed to reduce blood friction. ECMO using the Levitronix Centrimag pump may be an ideal medium-term support for lung transplant recipients suffering these serious complications. We describe our early experience of using ECMO with Levitronix Centrimag device and the Hilite hollow fibre membrane oxygenator (Medos Hilite LT, Medos Medizintechnik AG) in three cases following lung transplantation. The device is technically easy to implant and manage with a low complication rate on minimal anticoagulation.