title: Mobile ECMO team for inter-hospital transportation of patients with ARDS: a retrospective case series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transport of patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is currently available in 5 referral centers in our country.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series of patients managed by our mobile extracorporeal membrane oxygenation team and transferred to San Gerardo University Hospital from December 2004 to December 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  42 patients were transported. The mean age was 42.11 (standard deviation ±18.11) years, with a range between 2 years and 70. 14 patients were females (33%) and 28 males (67%). The average transport distance was 121.69 km (±183.08) with a range between 9 km and 1044 Km. The mission's mean time was equal to 508 minutes (±185) with range of 120-960 minutes. 29 patients (69%) were transported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, while 13 patients (31%) were transported with conventional ventilation. In 28 patients (97%) a veno-venous bypass was utilized, while in one case (3%) a Veno-Arterial cannulation was performed. 32 patients survived (76%) and have been discharged alive from hospital. No major clinical or technical issues were observed during the transport.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to our data, we conclude that a dedicated mobile team allowed safe ground transportation of patients with severe acute lung injury to our tertiary care institution.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care and Emergency Department, General Intensive Care Unit, University of Milan-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucchini
authors.affiliation: Adult Intensive Care Unit, Glenfield Hospital, University Hospital of Leicester-NHS Trust, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Felippis
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care and Emergency Department, General Intensive Care Unit, University of Milan-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elli
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care and Emergency Department, General Intensive Care Unit, University of Milan-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gariboldi
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care and Emergency Department, General Intensive Care Unit, University of Milan-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vimercati
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care and Emergency Department, General Intensive Care Unit, University of Milan-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tundo
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care and Emergency Department, General Intensive Care Unit, University of Milan-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bondi
authors.affiliation: Perfusion Service, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Costa
keywords: ECMO; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; mobile emergency unit; severe acute respiratory syndrome; transportation of patients