Premium
Application of ECMO in Multitrauma Patients With ARDS as Rescue Therapy
Author(s) -
Madershahian Navid,
Wittwer Thorsten,
Strauch Justus,
Franke Ulrich F.W.,
Wippermann Jens,
Kaluza Mirko,
Wahlers Thorsten
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of cardiac surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.428
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1540-8191
pISSN - 0886-0440
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8191.2007.00381.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ards , extracorporeal membrane oxygenation , polytrauma , surgery , blunt , pulmonary contusion , rescue therapy , acute respiratory distress , anesthesia , lung
Background: Despite recent advances in critical care management, the mortality of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains high. The final rescue therapy for patients with severe hypoxia refractory to conventional therapy modalities is the extracorporeal gas exchange. Methods: We report the management of three polytraumatized patients with life‐threatening injuries, severe blunt thoracic trauma, and consecutive ARDS treating by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Two patients suffered a car accident with severe lung contusion and parenychmal bleeding. Bronchial rupture and mediastinal emphysema was found in one of them. Another patient developed ARDS after attempted suicide with multiple fractures together with blunt abdominal and thoracic trauma. Results: All patients were placed on ECMO and could be rapidly stabilized. They were weaned from ECMO after a mean of 114 ± 27 hours of support without complications, respectively. Mean duration of ICU stay was 37 ± 23 days. Conclusions: Quick encouragement of ECMO for the temporary management of gas exchange may increase survival rates in trauma patients with ARDS.