4. Contents
What is ECMO ?
Evolution of ECMO
Circuit and Types
Physiology
Indications
Veno-venous V/S veno-
Arterial ECMO.
Cannulation and Circuit
5. is an extracorporeal technique of providing
prolonged cardiac and respiratory support to
persons whose heart and lungs are unable to provide
an adequate amount of gas exchange or perfusion to
sustain life.
The technology of ECMO - derived from CPB
Provide cardiopulmonary support in severe heart or
lung failure unresponsive to optimal conventional
care
What is ECMO?
6. CPB vs ECMO
Major differences CPB ECMO
Duration Mins to hours Days to weeks
Open reservior Yes No
ACT (secs) >400 180
Hemodilution Yes Yes: lesser degree
than CPB
Patient Asleep Asleep/awake
Inflammmaion More less
11. Dr Robert Bartlett –Father of
ECMO
1975-: Successfully applied bed
side ECLS device to treat
newborn with meconium
aspiration.
Evolution of ECMO
45. Initiaiton
Once it has been decided that ECMO will
be initiated, the patient is anticoagulated
(usually with intravenous heparin) and
then the cannula are inserted.
49. - Pump flow rate (cardiac
output) calculation
Cannulation
Patients Pump flows
Neonates 150 ml/min x BW
Peadiatric upto 10 kg 100-150 ml/min x BW
Pead >10 kg 2400 ml/m2/min x BSA
Adults 2400 ml/m2/min x BSA
Annals of CardiacAnaesthesia,Vol.15:1, Jan-Mar 2012
50. Drainage cannula
– As central as
possible
– Not too close to
the return
cannula
Return cannula
– Close to the
tricuspid valve
– But not too close to
the drainage cannula
51. • Anticoagulant
• Heparin IV bolus 50-100 u/kgordirectthrombin
inhibitor
• Continuous infusion of heparin during ECMO
• Measuring heparin effect:activated clotting
time (ACT) q 1-2 h
• Keep ACT 180-220sec
• PPT = 1.5 times normal
Before
Cannulation
57. Advantag
es
Pulmonary
circulation/oxygenatio
n is maintained.
No carotid
ligation.
Pulsatile
waveform
maintained.
Efficient CO2
removal.
Disadvantag
es
No control of BP.
Inefficiency
(recirculation).
Hypoxemia (low
PO2).
VV ECMO
59. Advantages and
Disadvantages
Advantages Disadvantages
Both cardiac and pulmonary
support.
Instant haemodynamic support
Cannulation of major artery and
sacrifice of one carotid in
newborn
No mixing of arterial/venous
blood.
Poor coronary and pulmonary
perfusion
Good oxygenation at low ECMO
flows
Systemic thromboembolism
No recirculation. Nonpulsatile flow
Oxygenated blood
returns to patients
arterial circulation
Increased incidence of
neurological events
60. Cannula sites for VA ECMO
Venous – IVC or RA
Arterial cannula:
Right femoral- eassy access ( ipsilateral LL
schaemia, thrombosis)
Right common carotid artery – risk of large
watershed cerebral infarction
Right subclavian artery – offers advantage of
allowing to ambulate
61. Types of ECMO
VA ECMO VV ECMO
Cannulation site Vein/artery Vein /Vein
Hemodynamic
support
Partial to
complete
None
LV efects ↓Preload
↑Afterload
None
Coronary
oxygenation
Native ejection Increased
Flow
characteristics
Non-pulsatile pulsatile
62. Priming the circuit
• Under sterile condition
• Isotonic solution including 4-5 meq/Lof potassium
• The prime is circulated through the reservoir baguntil
allbubbles are removed
• Not recommend to use aprimed circuit after 30 days
• For infants,PRC &anticoagulant are added to the
prime
63. How to initiate ECMO
• Pump flow rate:according to round per minute (RPM); normal2000-
5000 RPM
VV-ECMO:60%CO
VA-ECMO: 100%CO andkeep adequatetissueperfusion
• Sweep gas flow
sweep gasflow:ECMO flow = 1:1
• Mechanical ventilator setting
• VV-ECMO: ultraprotective lung strategies
• VA-ECMO: according to patient’scondition
• Daily monitoring in allbody systems
64. Maintenance —
Once the initial respiratory and hemodynamic goals
have been achieved, the blood flow is maintained at
that rate.
Frequent assessment and adjustments - continuous
venous oximetry
When the venous oxyhemoglobin saturation is below
target, increasing one or more of the following: blood
flow, intravascular volume, or hemoglobin
concentration.
Decreasing the systemic oxygen uptake by reducing
the temperature may also be helpful.
65. Hb > 12 g/dL – to maintain oxygenation
(ECMO is only source of oxygen)
Ventilator settings :
reduced during ECMO - to avoid barotrauma, volutrauma
(ie, ventilator-induced lung injury), and oxygen toxicity.
Plateau airway pressures < 20 cm H2O and FiO2 <0.5.
Reduction of ventilator support is usually accompanied by
increased venous return, which improves cardiac output.
Early tracheostomy - reduces dead space and improve
patient comfort.
Patients typically require light sedation during ECMO, but
can maintain awake
66. Weaning from ECMO
Genral guide:
Respiratory – improvement on radiographic appearance, pulmonary
compliance, arterial oxyHb saturaion
Cardiac failure: enhanced artic pulsatilty correlates wth improved LV
output
Before weaning – Trials:
VV ECMO trial– elminates all countercurrent sweep gas through the
oxygenator
Extracorporeal blood flow remains constant but no gas transfer
Pt observed for several hr – during that period ventilator setting are
determined to maintain oxygenation
67.
68. Weaning from ECMO
VA ECMO trial:
Temporary clamping of both drainage and infusion lines
while allowing ECMO circuit to circuit through a bridge
between arterial and venous limb
Prevents thrombosis of stagnant blood within circuit
Heparin – with saline flush
High risk of thrombus formation
Once decision is made to discontinue – cannulae remove
ECMO VA cannula site – 30 mins compression od arterial site
72. Contraindications to VV ECMO
Injurious mechanical ventilation for 7 days or longer
Major pharmacologic immunosuppression
Intracranial hemorrhage that is recent and expanding
Increased age
BMI > 40 -45
Refusal to accept blood products
Miller 9th edition
80. Contraindications to VA ECMO
Absolute
Acute intracranial
hemorrhage/massive
stroke
Active bleeding
Severe aortic
insufficiency
Relative
Contraindication for
anticoagulation
Advanced age
Obesity
Active cancer
Suicide attempt
Chronic hemodialysis
End-stage liverdisease
Aortic dissection
Lack of social support
81. ARDS
Pneumonia
Status asthmatics
Chemical pneumonitis
Inhalational pneumonitis
Near drowning
Bronchiolitis
Persistent air leak sydrome
RSV infection post CHD
surgery.
Indications of ECMO for Respiratory
failure- In Pediatric
92. Summary -ECMO is a
bridge
ECMO
Bridge to recovery
Bridge to transplant
Bridge to specific
treatment
Bridge to decision
Notas do Editor
The technology of ECMO is largely derived from cardiopulmonary bypass, provide cardiopulmonary support in severe heart or lung failure unresponsive to optimal conventional care
Advances of ECMO machines occurred in early 1950s.
The heart-lung machien was introduced by Dr John Gibbon in 1953.
It is used for large ASD repair to 18 year adult.
The first clinical application of ECMO life support to non-operation setting was in 1971 for 24 year trauma patient
The pt was kept in oxygen member for 72 hours and survied.
Advanced by Dr
Age 45 - 2020
The deoxygenated blood is drained via large veins under negative pressure generated by a pump.
It passes throuh the oxygenator which itself is connected to a gas supply
After becoming oxygenated it is returned to the patient via vein or artery
The heating and the cooling unit regulated the temperature of te circulating blood
The sites of vascular access depends on type of ECMO
The function pumps in ECMO is to generated the force of blood that is drained from the patient and drive it to the oxygenator cirulating blood
There are 2 main types of pumps..
Roller pump works by displacing the blood through a compressible tubing.
This pump is preload dependednt – meaning it requires forward blood flow at the inlet to drive the blood or drainage of the blood by gravity.
If the pump inflow is limited at the inlet, the negative pressure will be generated in the tubing which wll lead to the formation of miscrospic air bubble which is known as blood cavitation.
Roller pump is afterload independent. Pump flow is continued despited elevated pressure at the outlet which can lead to circuit rupture.
Roller pump functions by positive displace by foot plate tubing in the fluid.
The output of roller pump is determined by RPM and the volume displaced at each minutewhich is dependent on diameter tubing
Centrifugal pump works by generating a pressure differential btn center and peripheral pump
They are non-occlusive by design. Thus is necessary to clamp the central lines to prevent backflow from the patient
Centrifugal pump are both preload and afterload dependent
This function as sensitive to volume available to the pump inlet and the resistance at the outlet
As result of varying sensitive to both preload and afterload the pump flow cannot be predicted from pump speed(RPM) and flow meter is required to measure the actual blood flow through the circuit.
Oxygenator is the site of gas exchange.
It has basic structure of hollow fiber membrane.
The hollow fibers are anatomical equivalent to the alveoli of the lung.
Gas flow inside the fiber and blood flow outside the fibers
Gas exchange occurs by diffusion as in human lungs
Newer membrane exchangers are made from PMP( has lower oxygenator failure from plasma leakage) and it has several advantages over Polypropylene
The total O2 content in the arterial blood is the sum of O2 bound to Hb and dissolve the blood
Majority are in bound form and very small in dissolve form
Thus the main determinant of the arterial O2 content are Hb conc and % of Hb is saturation with O2
Therefore formula can be simplified as….
1.34 is the amount of O2 bound to 1g Hb and
in normal resting stage, the arterial o2 content is roughly 20 ml?dL
in normal resting stage, the arterial o2 content is roughly 20 ml?dL
With normal CO of ….
in normal resting stage, the arterial o2 content is roughly 20 ml?dL
With normal CO of ….
The total O2 delivery is roughly….
Oxygen delivery is ~ to Hb conc.
Here 3 curves showing O2 delivery at 3 different Hb level of 15, 10, 7.5 assuming O2 is 100%.
N – denotes normal O2 delivery in normal pt with normal Cardiac index and Hb
If have to remember adeqaute tissue oxygenation cannot be reflected by simply measuring the partial pressure of O2 or Oxygen saturation in the blood
O2 adeqacy is achieved by balanced between rate of O2 delivery (DO2) and rate of O2 consumption(VO2)
Oxygen delivery is dependednt on arterial O2 content and CO
O2 consumption is dependt on metabolic rate
O2 need and consumption is calculated by difference btn artrial O2 content and venous O2 content
Gas exchange in the membrane oxygenator is very similar to the native human lungs
O2 diffuses across the membrane to saturate the venous blood and CO2 is removed in the reciprocal direction
MV is the biological analogs of as flow to the membrane O2 oxygenator
ECMO BF is analog to pulmonary BF
O2 delivery on ECMO circuit from the membrane and o2 from native pulmonary circulation is the total o2 delivery
In VV ECMO circuit- ECMO and native circulates(functions) in series
Fully oxygenated blood circulated by ECMO enters in the RA and mixes with the deoxygenated blood returing from the systemic circualtion
Blood then distributes to the pulmonary circulation where depending on the native lungs further oxygenates the blood
This blood is then circulated to the systemic circulation by LV
Thus in VV ECMO O2 delivered from the ECMO system is the function of Hb level, the diffeence of O2 content at blood enteing and exiting the membrane lung and the ECMO BF
Thus in VV ECMO to increase O2 delivery are
Transfusing – to increase Hb
Adding extra drainage cannula – to increase the BF to ECMO
Adding membrane lung
But later 2 methods are cumbersome compared to transfusion
other methods are …..
VA ECMO – ECMO and native circulation functions in parallel
Deoxygenated blood from RA is drained into the ECMO circuit or passes through the pulmonary circulation
Oxygenated blood is return to the circulation either by anterograge fashion to Left heart or retrograde fashion from ECMO return cannula
Because lungs often function normally and provide gas exchange in VA ECMO, the effect of mixing ECMO and native venous flow is minimal
In normal circumtances where repiratory qaotion is 1, CO2 production is ~ o2 consumption
Due to more diffusible and solubility of CO2, the BF requirement for CO2 clearance is minimal than O2 delivery
Hence, routine oxygenator on ECMO is primarily on oxygenation parameter and CO2 is adeqaute at conventional ECMO settings
The equivalent MV of membrane lung is sweep gas flow.
CO2 clearance is dependednt on membrane geometry, SA, material
Sweep gas flow, difference b/n inlet and sweep gas nad minimally by blood flow may casue poor CO2 clearance
If water condensate form on gas interface, the gradient for CO2 clearance is lost
To prevent this – routine membrane flushing with high sweep flow at regular interval
CO = HR x SV
SV is determined by=…
For pts on ECMO preload decreases as result of blood being drained from RA,
Less blood flow to RA and LV= decrease pressure
Concurrently the LV afterload increases as rsult of return of blod from ECMO to aorta in retrograde manner
Sympathetic activity is activated as a result of circulatory insufficiency
There is Minimal direct affect on native myocardial contratility apart from decrease LV preload resulting in performing on lower frank starling curve
ECMO canula are the cathers that drain blood from the patient and return back to the pt.
Selection of canula depends on variety of factors – pathodlogy, patient habitus, vascular anatomy, experience of the center(previous experience)
Regardless of the type of ECMO configuration, peripheral or central, VV or VA, traditionally is a single lumen catheter at different site( one for venous, one for arterial)
In most circumtances canula used in venous drainage are multi-stage cannula wth side holes at 10-20 cm to enhance the drainage of the venous cannula.
Arterial cannula are usually shorter and has side holes only at the tip of the cannula.
Wire reinforced to resist kinking and withstand high negative and postive pressure generated in the circuit.
Recent cannula has dual lumen – allows draiange and return from single vein in VV
Action of heparin depends on antithrombin (AT3)
AT3deficiency or < 50% normal – replace with FFP
1. Venoarterial (required for cardiac support, appropriate for respiratory support) 2. Venovenous (no hemodynamic support, preferred for respiratory support because it avoids using a major artery and avoids potential systemic embolism) 3. AV-arteriovenous (limited to low blood flow, specifically for CO2 removal)
There are 2 main ECMO configuration – VV ECMO, VA ECMO
Broadly speaking VV ECMO is used in respiratory failure, VA ECMO for cardiac failure
VV ECMO is the preferred support for respiratory failure when cardiac function is preserved
Deoxygenated blood is drained from the lung via large vein, oxygenated by membrane oxygenator and return to RA where it is then pumped to the systemic circulation by the native cardiac ouput
This means VV ECMO primarily carry out gas exchange process when the native lungs are unable to do so.
usually placed in the right or left common femoral vein (for drainage) and right internal jugular vein (for infusion).
The tip of the femoral cannula should be maintained near the junction of the inferior vena cava and right atrium, while the tip of the internal jugular cannula should be maintained near the junction of the superior vena cava and right atrium.
VA ecmo
inferior vena cava or right atrium (for drainage) and an arterial cannula is placed into the right femoral artery (for infusion).
Other sites:
Following cannulation, the patient is connected to the ECMO circuit and the blood flow is increased until respiratory and hemodynamic parameters are satisfactory
Oxygen deliver depends on Hb
VA ECMO = EF > 20-25%= proceed to weaing
Deoxygenation challenge
Starts from FiO2 1%.....itirate to room air
Pass measn = CO2 challenge ( ECMO challenge – reduce by 30% guided by ABG, maintain PaCO2 < 50 mmHg, RR 30, SPO2 > 88) = if pass
P0.1 = negative pressure measured 100 ms after the initiation of an inspiratory effort performed against closed circuit
Normal -0.5 to 1.5 cmH20
Signifiest central respiratory drive.
Reduce the flow rate of ECMO by 30% form intitiation, when the flow rate is < o.5 – 1L/min = off ecmo
First ecmo, keep ventilator settig ( even if PS is minimal)
Decannulate after 12- 24 hours = high chance of relaspse.
In Pead decrease flow to 100mL/min
Murray score( 4 criteria):
1] PaO2/FiO2 gradient for oxygen
2] Degree of PEEP
3] Number of quadrants affected as shown on the chest radiograph
4] lung compliance
The final score is calculated by the addition of the component parts.
Score 0= no lung injury; 1–2.5 = mild to moderate lung injury >2.5= severe lung injury
Berlin criteria = PF ratio < 80% ECMO, < 150 muscle relaxant(severity of ARDS is rated as mild, moderate, or severe based on the PaO2/ FiO2 gradient for oxygen if other criteria are present)
In general, patients with severe ARDS (PaO2/FiO2 gradient of < 100 mm Hg with PEEP > 5) are potential candidates for ECMO as the mortality without ECMO is approximately 40
The Murray lung injury score was develop to stratify the severity of acute lung injury
The final score is the average of the score of the 4 components .
The PF ratio, the extend of the lung infiltration on the CXR, the level of PEEP and the lung compliance
It guides the patient referral to the centers with ECMO capabilities or it guides as initiation for ECMO indication.
ESLO
High pressure ventilation (peak insp pressure >30 cm of H2O) for >7days.
High FiO2 requirement (>0.8) for >7days
Limited vascular access.
Refusal to accept blood products
The publish studies for VV ECMO are notable for 2 major RCT and some case control studies.
This clinical trial primarily has focused on pts with ARDS
The landmark trial for ECMO use in ARDS is the CESAR trial in 2009
180 pts with respiratroy failure defined by Murray score of > 3 or pH < 7.2 were randomized for consideration for treatment by ECMO or conventional mx by ventilatory support mx
Patients who were randomized with consideration for treatment by ECMO mx had higher 6 months survival of around 63% compared with 47% in the conventional mx arm
During the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic pts with ARDS who were referred and transferred to ECMO centers in the UK were compared with matched pts who were not refferd to ECMO centers
The hospital mortality for pts who are refrred to ECMO mx was lower with RR of 0.45
The EOLIA(ECMO to rescue Lung Injury in Severe ARDS) trial was published in the New England journal of Medicine May 2018.
249 pts with very severe ARDS meeting of the the these three criteria were randomized to receive immediate VV ECMO or continue convectional ventilatory treatemnt.
The 60 day mortality for ECMO group was 35% and 46% in non Ecmo which not snificcant with p value of 0.09
However it should be noted that the crossover in 1/3(28%) of the control patient may have diluted the result.
ECMO CPR – refractory cardiac arrest with no ROSC within 10 mins
*** Difficult intubation = CICO
There is no RCT trial for the use of VA ECMO
Current literature are mostly of observational studies
In the cohort of 71 patients in Taiwan with ST segment elevation MI complicated with cardiogenic shock
The 30 day mortality for pts supported with VA ECMO support had significantly lower than pts not on ECMO
A retrospective study from a French group included patients with fulminant myocarditis between 2003 and 2009
This group reported ICU survival of 68% in ECMO group with refractory circulatory failure
The largest meta-analysis including almost 1200 patints from 22 studies who received the ECMO for refractory cardigenic shock or cardiac arrest
They reported a overall hospital survival rate of 40.2%