Initial Egyptian extracorporeal membrane oxygenation experience (original) (raw)

Introduction: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is considered a rescue therapy in severe cases of acute cardiac and or respiratory failure. Aim of the work: We describe our initial experience at the first ECMO center in Egypt. Methods: Our adult ECMO program started in January 2014. Since then we supported eleven respiratory failure patients on ECMO indicated according to ELSO guidelines and one case of ECMO CPR. Respiratory failure patients were subjected to VV ECMO when lung injury score (LIS) was above 3 and PaO 2 /FiO 2 <100 on protective lung strategy mechanical ventilation according to ARDS net protocol and or severe hypercapnia with pH < 7.2 with trial of prone positioning in the indicated cases. Percutaneous cannulation was done in all patients using single lumen cannulae, additional cannula was added when needed. Cardiohelp (Maquet, Germany) and Rotaflow (Maquet, Germany) ECMO consoles were used with centrifugal pump. ECMO circuits PLS for Rotaflow and HLS for Cardiohelp were changed when indicated. The ECMO CPR patient was a primary PCI for acute inferior STEMI complicated by left main occlusion, VA ECMO instituted in the cath-lab after 20 min of CPR. Percutaneous (and or surgical) tracheostomy was done after 14 days of mechanical ventilation.