Adult extracorporeal life support: a failed or forgotten concept?

The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been used in the neonatal and childhood periods with excellent results. The adult experience has been modest with inferior immediate results. The intermediate survival, however, has been promising. We have been using the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for temporary mechanical circulatory support of adults that present with acute refractory cardiogenic shock in our institution. There is no other published experience of the use of this system in this scenario in Brazil.

To describe our experience with the use of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for circulatory support in adults.

Retrospective analysis of the medical files of patients submitted to the implant of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system for circulatory assistance in acute and refractory cardiogenic shock.

Eleven patients (63,5 yo; 45,5% male) were considered for analysis from 2005 to 2007. Median support time was 77 hours (10-240 h) and 5 patients have survived 30 days (45,5%). Two patients were subsequently submitted to prolonged paracorporeal circulatory assistance. Mortality on ECMO (6 patients) was due to multiple organ failure (66,6%) and refractory bleeding (33,4%).

ECMO system is an option to be used in acute refractory cardiogenic shock as a bridge to recovery or selecting patients that might benefit from prolonged paracorporeal assist devices (bridge to bridge).