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Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation For Bridge To Decision And To Recovery., Hitoshi Hirose, Md, Phd, Shingeki Tabaka, Md, James Diehl, Md, Nicholas C. Cavarocchi, Md

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Extracorporeal life support has advanced from its humble beginnings over 3 decades ago, with the first description of its success in a patient with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), going as far back as 1971. The indications for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy include refractory respiratory and/or cardiac failure, and ECMO is now being increasingly used in adult patients. In this case report, we present a patient who had traveled from India to the United States, where she developed acute decompensated biventricular failure and shock, requiring ECMO placement as a bridge to a decision. During her first few days on …