EMCrit RACC
EMCrit 343 / CV-EMCrit - February 9, 2023 - By Scott Weingart
VV ECMO has demonstrated trends towards increased survival in ARDS compared to conventional treatment (PMID: 30642776, PMID: 29791822). There has been increased utilization of ECMO during the COVID-19 pandemic and its applications continue to expand with it recently being incorporated into the ASA practice guidelines for management of the difficult airway (PMID: 34762729). However, despite increased utilization, implementation of this therapy is limited by lack of universal availability as well as nuanced patient selection and constantly evolving relative contraindications.
While this continues to be an evolving topic, the goal of this post is to discuss patient selection for VV ECMO and when to call for help if working at a non-ECMO center.
