Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a temporary mechanical support system that handles the function of the heart and/or lungs in patients with aboriginal flag beanie a variety of cardiac and respiratory problems.Veno-arterial ECMO is most commonly used for patients recovering from heart surgery, suffering from cardiac shock, or awaiting a heart transplant.Case report: A 7 year old boy with a single ventricle physiology was admitted for a Fontan procedure with repair of the common valve.At the end of surgery, transesophagal echocardiography showed a severely depressed myocardial function, and weaning of bypass required a high inotropic support.During the following week, the heart never recovered, with an ejection fraction at 24%.
Veno-Arterial ECMO was decided on postoperative day 9 with a 19 Fr venous cannula inserted through the right jugular vein into the intracardiac Fontan baffle, and a 15 Fr arterial cannula into bg tuley the right carotid artery.On ECMO day 7, after failure to wean from ECMO, he was listed for an urgent heart transplant, with the suggestion of a transfer to Europe, for a shorter transplantation delay.The ECMO team from Hamad Hospital in Qatar accomplished the transfer successfully, on a humanitarian basis.The transfer was done on ECMO Day 10.The child was safely admitted to a hospital in Belgium, and listed again for an urgent heart transplant.
Conclusion: With an experienced team, and the proper equipment, on-ECMO air transport of critical patients over thousands of kilometers is today safely feasible.Keywords: ECMO, Medical air transport, Critical care, Levosimendan.