Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 2, 2026
Lung Rapid Recovery Procurement Combined with Abdominal Normothermic Regional Perfusion in Controlled Donation after Circulatory Death
Published on: August 15, 2022
Clinical Result and Feasibility of Transport ECMO in Thoracic Transplantation
Hye Ju Yeo1, Joohyung Son2, Sang Gwon Lee2
1Division of Pulmonology, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, South Korea.
Introduction:
There is an increasing need for transport extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in thoracic transplantation. This study was performed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of transport ECMO in thoracic transplantation.
Patients And Methods:
A total of 24 patients referred from outside hospitals for ECMO treatment used our interhospital ECMO transport system from December 2011 to October 2018. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data to evaluate the feasibility and safety of transport ECMO for thoracic transplantations.
Results:
The median transport distance was 34 km (interquartile range [IQR]: 29-45) and the median transport time was 38 minutes (IQR: 26-45). There were no adverse events during transit in any patient. ECMO weaning was possible in 19 patients (79%) and 13 patients (54%) were weaned from mechanical ventilation. Of these patients, only 14 (58%) underwent transplantation, of whom 8 received lung transplants (53%) and 6 received heart transplants (67%). Among the patients receiving transplants, intensive care unit discharge was possible in 9 patients (64%), and 8 patients (57%) were discharged home.
Conclusions:
Transport ECMO to the transplantation center is a useful strategy to rescue patients with cardiorespiratory failure who may require transplantation, providing an additional means of improving the chance of survival.
