Use of extracorporeal membranous oxygenator in transcatheter aortic valve replacement

The superiority of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) compared with medical therapy for patients with aortic stenosis (AS) who are not suitable candidates for surgery had been proven. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is rarely used in TAVR. Reports of early use of extracorporeal membranous oxygenator (ECMO) have promising outcomes. ECMO offers the option of cardiac support rescue in case of intraoperative hemodynamic instability and can be instituted in advance when hemodynamic instability is expected. Here we review the English literature about the use of ECMO in TAVR procedures, and discuss the indications and rationale for its use as well as its advantages.