Introduction
In patients affected by postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock (PCS) following
cardiac surgery, the use of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane
oxygenation (VA-ECMO) has increased steadily in the last decades
[1-3]. However, the complications and mortality rates associated
with this mechanical support remain high [1-5]. In this context,
prolonged VA-ECMO support with the risk of ECMO-induced complications is
inversely associated with cardiopulmonary recovery and survival
[1,3-5]. However, the optimal duration of VA-ECMO remains
controversial, and the available evidence in PCS patients is limited
[1,3,4-9]. We report the results of the large multicentre
“Postcardiotomy Veno-arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation”
(PC-ECMO) study, analysing the impact of VA-ECMO duration on hospital
mortality and early complications.