Distal Perfusion Cannulation and Limb Complications in Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

The utility of distal perfusion cannula (DPC) placement for the prevention of limb complications in patients undergoing femoral venoarterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is poorly characterized. Patients undergoing femoral VA ECMO cannulation at two institutions were retrospectively assessed. Patients were grouped into those who did and those who did not receive a DPC at the time of primary cannulation.

Variability in End-Organ Perfusion with Femoral-Femoral Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Aortographic Evidence.

In femoral-femoral venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO), the outflow of oxygenated blood from the circuit enters the aorta in retrograde fashion. As a result, variability in end-organ oxygenation (e.g.

Nonischemic Postoperative Seizure Does Not Increase Mortality After Cardiac Surgery.

Background: Postoperative seizure (PS) is an infrequent, yet distressing, complication after cardiac surgery. We wished to determine the prognostic significance of these complicated neurologic events.

Methods: The Weill Cornell Medical College Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery database and the New York State Department of Health Database were reviewed to identify all patients having PS after cardiac surgery between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2011.

2010 John H. Gibbon Lecture. Just say yes!

Advancing anything requires change and a new method. It can be a challenge to bring about the change that you believe in. This change however requires you to plan and say no to the old way of doing things.

Heparin sensitivity test for patients requiring cardiopulmonary bypass.

Anticoagulation for the open heart surgery patient undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is achieved with the use of heparin. The industry standard of activated clotting time (ACT) was used to measure the effect of heparin. The commonly acceptable target time of anticoagulation adequacy is 480 seconds or greater.

Negative fluid displacement: an alternative method to assess patency of arterial line cannulation.

Optimal flow rate with minimal pressure gradient is the goal of arterial cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Misplacement of the arterial cannula or vascular pathology can lead to hemolysis or intimal damage with subsequent aortic dissection. The risk of dissection with aortic cannulation is low, 0.

Diagnosis and treatment of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a major side effect secondary to the administration of heparin. This syndrome is serious and potentially life threatening. This response is the result of antibodies formed against the platelet factor 4 (PF4)/heparin complex.