Long-term outcomes of patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for refractory postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock.

Purpose: Postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock is still associated with a poor prognosis. We reviewed patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock and assessed their long-term outcomes.

Methods: The subjects were 47 patients who received ECMO support for cardiogenic shock after open heart surgery. We analyzed the long-term survival and risk factors for early or late death.

Results: Twenty-nine patients were weaned off ECMO support, but 15 of these patients died during their hospital stay. An independent predictor of mortality during ECMO support was incomplete sternum closure (OR 4.089, 95 % CL 1.003-16.67, p = 0.049) and a predictor of mortality after weaning off ECMO was more than 48 h of support (OR 8.975, 95 % CL 1.281-62.896, p = 0.027). Fourteen patients were discharged from hospital, but seven of these patients died during the follow-up period owing to cardiac events (n = 2) or non-cardiac causes (n = 5). The actuarial survival rates were 34.0 % at 30 days, 29.8 % at 1 year, and 17.6 % at 10 years.

Conclusion: Although postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock requiring ECMO support is associated with high morbidity and mortality, the long-term survival rate is acceptable.