ECMO: monocentric experiment

This is a descriptive retrospective study with comparison to recent data in the literature. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the interest that a general hospital centre may have in being able to initiate and manage this type of therapy with a view to improving mortality, particularly in extreme situations. It involved the analysis of the files of patients who benefited from the implementation of ECMO-type cardiorespiratory assistance in the Colmar hospital centre over a period of 2 years (2012-2014). A total of 19 patients were included (12 women and 7 men). The mean age was 47.5 years [17- 76 years]. Nine venovenous ECMOs were implanted (47.37%) for respiratory indications (mainly Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) and 10 veno-arterial ECMOs (52.63%) for hemodynamic indications (mainly myocarditis and cardio-respiratory arrest). 6 patients (31.57%) had poly-visceral failures leading to death. The survival rate at 6 months was 31.7%.