Blood utilization in adult patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenated therapy

The impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), performed on adult patients, on the blood transfusion service of a tertiary-care hospital was assessed. The quantity and pattern of blood component utilization by these patients were compared to those in a previous evaluation of neonatal patients receiving similar treatment.

The records of blood component transfusion to 74 adult patients, treated with ECMO within a 6-year period, were reviewed. This information was correlated with the clinical indication for ECMO and duration of ECMO treatment. In addition, daily use of components for these patients was studied to ascertain whether the blood requirements were predictable and uniform.

Over 15,000 units of blood components, with platelet concentrates making up the largest portion, were transfused to these patients while they were undergoing ECMO. The duration of ECMO varied from less than 1 day to 53 days. However, the length of treatment could not uniformly be correlated with blood utilization or with survival. Daily blood transfusion needs often could not be anticipated, which meant that the transfusion service frequently had to respond to urgent requests for transfusion support. The provision of platelet concentrates proved to be the most difficult part of the maintenance of this program.

Whereas ECMO treatment of neonatal patients has a relatively minor impact on a transfusion service, the same is not true for a program that uses this form of treatment for adults as well.