title: Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Massive Pulmonary Embolism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) has been suggested for cardiopulmonary support in patients with massive pulmonary embolism (PE) refractory to other treatment or as bridging to embolectomy. The survival benefit from ECMO in patients with massive PE remains unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, we describe 5 cases in which ECMO was used as cardiopulmonary support following massive near-fatal pulmonary embolism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall mortality in patients with massive PE that received ECMO support was 40%. Death occurred secondary to ECMO-related complication in one case and due to inability to maintain adequate cerebral perfusion despite ECMO support in the second case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ECMO can be considered as a treatment modality for patients with massive PE.
authors.affiliation: Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackesack, NJ, USA; Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Elena V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Dolmatova
authors.affiliation: Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackesack, NJ, USA; Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Kasra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moazzami
authors.affiliation: Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackesack, NJ, USA; Valley Medical Group and Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Cocke
authors.affiliation: Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackesack, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Elie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elmann
authors.affiliation: Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackesack, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Pranay
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaidya
authors.affiliation: Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackesack, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Arthur F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackesack, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Kumar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Satya
authors.affiliation: Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackesack, NJ, USA; Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA; Valley Medical Group and Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, NJ, USA. Electronic address: Narayan@westwoodcardio.com.
authors.forename: Rajeev L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Narayan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017128:Embolectomy; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey / Q000453:epidemiology; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Cardiopulmonary support; Complication; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; Mortality; Pulmonary embolism