ECPR
VA ECMO
VV ECMO
Pediatric VA ECMO
Pediatric VV ECMO (MHFV Internal)
Neonatal VA ECMO & VV ECMO (MHFV Internal)
Frequently Asked Questions
- ECMO: Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation. This is the term for the treatment provided by the life support machine that the patient is connected to.
- Cannula: Plastic tubes that the Interventional Cardiologist or Cardiothoracic Surgeons place into the veins and arteries leading to and from the heart. The ECMO circuit will be attached to these cannulae to provide support for the unstable patient. Cannulation is the process of inserting the cannulae either percutaneously (through the skin) or surgically.
- Decannulation: After careful assessment, when the patient has recovered enough to potentially come off ECMO, they may be taken to the operating room to surgically remove the cannulae.
- Oxygenator: This is the component of the ECMO circuit that is the “artificial lung”. This device removes carbon dioxide from the blood and provides oxygen to the blood.
- Pump: This component of the ECMO circuit is the “artificial heart”. This device moves the blood through the circuit and back into the patient.
- ECMO Flow: This is how many liters of blood are moving through the circuit by the pump, per minute. Typically, the higher the flow rate, the more support the patient is requiring.
- Bridge to Recovery: Many patients can recover and become well enough to be weaned off of the ECMO circuit and support. We call this Bridge to Recovery. Some ECMO patients may require an implantation of a mechanical circulatory support (MCS) device. They must first be stable enough to undergo the operation. This is termed Bridge-to-device. The next step in treatment, if the patient is eligible, would be a transplant. If that is the case, the MCS device is a Bridge-to-transplant device. If the patient is not a transplant candidate, they may be put on an MCS device as Destination Therapy, where they will live long-term with the device. It is important to understand that ECMO is temporary and should not be confused with Destination Therapy.