Outcomes of protocol-based management for venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in congenital heart surgery - A 2-decade experience.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a vital mechanical circulatory support used with increasing frequency in complex congenital cardiac surgeries. This study evaluated the outcomes of a protocol-based venoarterial (VA) ECMO program following congenital heart surgeries.

Methods And Results: This was a retrospective review of 198 patients who underwent VA-ECMO after congenital cardiac surgeries at our institute between 2004 and 2023.

Hand Colonization with Gram-Negative Organisms of Healthcare Workers Accessing the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit: A Cross-Sectional Study at the Uganda Heart Institute.

Background: Hands of healthcare workers (HCWs) are vehicles for pathogens responsible for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Following the identification of Gram-negative organisms (GNOs) in all cases of HAIs in the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU), we sought to determine the burden of hand colonization with GNOs among healthcare workers who access the cardiac ICU.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed results from surveillance cultures of fingertip imprints of HCWs who access the cardiac ICU at the Uganda Heart Institute.