Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in 108 patients with low cardiac output – a single-center experience.

Background: For short-term ventricular and pulmonary support the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) system using the Bio-Medicus centrifugal pump (Medtronic®, Minneapolis, MN, USA) was applied in 108 patients with cardiac low-output.

Methods: From December 1996 to July 2006 the ECMO was implanted in 108 patients (73 adult, mean age: 49.3±18.