Utilisation and Outcomes of a Mobile (ambulance and Air Transport) Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (VV-ECMO) Program in Poland During the COVID-19 Pandemic - a Retrospective, Two-centres, Case-series Study

Overview

Journal Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther

Specialties Anesthesiology
Critical Care

Date 2024 Aug 21

PMID 39166505

Authors

Elzbieta Rypulak

Marta Szczukocka

Tomasz Czarnik

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Many patients required mechanical ventilation support due to severe COVID-19 pneumonia. A significant proportion of mechanically ventilated patients also required venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) due to refractory hypoxemia. A high demand for VV-ECMO support during the pandemic was challenging due to many factors, including limited resources and lack of established transfer protocols. This study aims to present the organisation and outcomes of a mobile VV-ECMO program in two high-volume centres in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Material And Methods: This retrospective, two-centre case series study, which lasted 36 months, was conducted between March 10, 2020, and January 31, 2023. The data of all patients transferred using venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) were analysed, including five women in the perinatal period with severe respiratory failure attri-buted to the COVID-19 virus. The analysis encompassed baseline patient demographics, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores, admission laboratory parameters, ECMO therapy, duration of mechanical ventilation, and patient survival to ICU discharge.

Results: We assessed 86 patients who met the ELSO inclusion criteria and were transported during VV-ECMO support. Mortality in the analysed group was high (80.3%). Despite high mortality, VV-ECMO appeared to be a safe procedure in COVID-19 patients with severe ARDS. No complications were noted in more than half of the analysed procedures. Despite the above, many severe complications were observed, including stroke or cerebral haemorrhage (9.8%) and limb or gut ischemia (1.6%). The most common problems co-existing with VV-ECMO treatment were bleeding complications (34.4%).

Conclusions: The ICU mortality rate among patients requiring VV-ECMO for COVID-19 in high-volume ECMO centres was high but not associated with the type of transportation.

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