A 2-year multicenter, observational, prospective, cohort study on extracorporeal CO removal in a large metropolis area.

Background: Extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCOR) is a promising technique for the management of acute respiratory failure, but with a limited level of evidence to support its use outside clinical trials and/or data collection initiatives. We report a collaborative initiative in a large metropolis.

Methods: To assess on a structural basis the rate of utilization as well as efficacy and safety parameters of 2 ECCOR devices in 10 intensive care units (ICU) during a 2-year period.

What are the main "machine dysfunctions" to know?

The incidents related to the medical devices are common during anesthesia and in intensive care unit. These incidents are rarely the cause of complications because monitoring detects them early; alternative scenarios allow bearing these problems. Although the incidence of these complications has much declined, these incidents are serious adverse events and at the origin of life-threatening complications.