Transition of femoral-jugular to dual-stage left subclavian without
discontinuation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Abstract
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a technology that has
allowed for further cardiopulmonary support in the setting of
respiratory failure refractory to mechanical ventilation. While it has
evolved since its first description, one area of improvement continues
to be its implementation. With advancements in cannulation techniques,
in recent years, there has been a plethora of new cannulas that has been
introduced to the market. For urgent venous-venous cannulation, the
right internal jugular vein along with either femoral veins remain the
most utilized strategy due to minimal need for imaging support. This
allows for safe bedside cannulation. However, as the number of days of
ECMO support continue to increase bridging patients to an easier to
ambulate and more comfortable cannulation strategy is preferred.
Therefore, we describe a method for bridging right jugular-femoral
cannulation to left subclavian placement of the CrescentTM Dual Lumen
Catheter without interrupting ECMO support.