title: Is lower limb venous drainage during peripheral extracorporeal membrane oxygenation necessary?
abstract: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is becoming a gold standard in acute heart failure, not responsive to inotrops and intra-aortic balloon contrapulsation. This diffusion is due to the possibility to implant it through peripheral cannulation and to perform long-time assistance. Nevertheless, this technique implies some problems concerning inferior limb perfusion. It is widely accepted that arterial distal cannulation and perfusion of the limb is mandatory, especially for long periods of assistance; but the necessity to implant a distal venous drainage is still discussed. We would like to present our experience on peripheral ECMO where we could avoid venous distal drainage uneventfully.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Isidoro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Di Bella
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ramoni
authors.forename: Uberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Da Col
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vidili
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Ayiomamitis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michalis
authors.forename: Temistocle
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ragni
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000503:physiopathology*