Clinical outcomes
ECMO associated factors, such as procedure duration, type of ECMO, size of cannula, left heart decompression, and distal perfusion, were not significantly different in the two groups (Table 2). Awake ECMO was applied to seven of the 14 patients in the weaned group. Loss of pulse pressure was more common in the failed group (p < 0.01).
Three patients in the weaned group died due to recurrent AMI, biliary sepsis from cholecystitis, or pneumonia after heart transplantation. Left heart decompression was performed for two patients with loss of pulse pressure in the weaned group because of pulmonary edema aggravation. Pulse pressure in these two patients recovered at 24 and 48 hours post-ECPR, respectively.