Implementation of emergency extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a hospital without on-site cardiothoracic surgery support.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) using veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is a treatment option for refractory cardiac arrest patients, but it has mostly been restricted to hospitals with on-site cardiothoracic surgery support. We report the implementation of the ECPR protocol in a rural hospital without on-site cardiothoracic surgery.

Methods

The ECPR protocol was initiated in June 2020 in North Karelia Central Hospital in Eastern Finland, in collaboration with the tertiary center, Kuopio University Hospital, where patients were transferred for further treatment. After successful initiation of the ECPR protocol, the emergency ECMO treatment was extended to patients with refractory cardiogenic shock or respiratory fail

SUBMITTER: Pohjanpaju SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12775977 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature