The role of endoscopy as non-invasive procedure to manage gastrointestinal complications during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Successful treatment of acute coronary syndrome complicated with massive gastrointestinal bleeding: A case report

Life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding during the rescue of acute coronary syndrome with repeated cardiac arrest is a difficult challenge to overcome during treatment. The success rate of rescue can be improved through the multidisciplinary cooperation of the rescue team, the selection of a reasonable rescue plan, and timely implementation. Surgical hemostasis has rarely been reported in the literature. Here, we have reported our successful treatment experience with a case of acute coronary syndrome that was complicated by massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage and required an operation to stop the bleeding.

Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Patients: A Comprehensive Analysis of Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes

Background

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an intervention for severe heart and lung failure; however, it poses the risk of complications, including gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). Comprehensive analyses of GIB in patients undergoing ECMO are limited, and its impact on clinical outcomes remains unclear.

Methods

This retrospective study included 484 patients who received venovenous and venoarterial ECMO between January 2015 and December 2022. Data collected included patient characteristics, laboratory results, GIB details, and interventions. Statistical analyses were performed to identify risk factors and assess the outcomes.

Results

GIB occurred in 44 of 484 patients (9.1%) who received ECMO. Multivariable analysis revealed that older age (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.06; p=0.0130) and need to change the ECMO mode (OR, 3.74; 95% CI, 1.75-7.96; p=0.0006) were significant risk factors for GIB, whereas no association was found with antiplatelet or systemic anticoagulation therapies during ECMO management. Half of the patients with GIB (22/44, 50%) underwent intervention, with endoscopy as the primary modality (19/22, 86.4%). Patients who underwent ECMO and developed GIB had higher rates of mortality (40/44 [90.9%] vs. 262/440 [59.5%]) and ECMO weaning failure (38/44 [86.4%] vs. 208/440 [47.3%]).

Conclusion

GIB in patients undergoing ECMO is associated with adverse outcomes, including increased risks of mortality and weaning failure. Even in seemingly uncomplicated cases, it is crucial to avoid underestimating the significance of GIB.

Anticoagulation and Bleeding during Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Insights from the PROTECMO Study

Rationale: Definitive guidelines for anticoagulation management during veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) are lacking, whereas bleeding complications continue to pose major challenges. Objectives: To describe anticoagulation modalities and bleeding events in adults receiving VV ECMO. Methods: This was an international prospective observational study in 41 centers, from December 2018 to February 2021. Anticoagulation was recorded daily in terms of type, dosage, and monitoring strategy. Bleeding events were reported according to site, severity, and impact on mortality. Measurements and Main Results: The study cohort included 652 patients, and 8,471 days on ECMO were analyzed. Unfractionated heparin was the initial anticoagulant in 77% of patients, and the most frequently used anticoagulant during the ECMO course (6,221 d; 73%). Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) was the most common test for monitoring coagulation (86% of days): the median value was 52 seconds (interquartile range, 39 to 61 s) but dropped by 5.3 seconds after the first bleeding event (95% confidence interval, -7.4 to -3.2; P < 0.01). Bleeding occurred on 1,202 days (16.5%). Overall, 342 patients (52.5%) experienced at least one bleeding event (one episode every 215 h on ECMO), of which 10 (1.6%) were fatal. In a multiple penalized Cox proportional hazard model, higher aPTT was a potentially modifiable risk factor for the first episode of bleeding (for 20-s increase; hazard ratio, 1.07). Conclusions: Anticoagulation during VV ECMO was a dynamic process, with frequent stopping in cases of bleeding and restart according to the clinical picture. Future studies might explore lower aPTT targets to reduce the risk of bleeding.

Longitudinal Trends in Bleeding Complications on Extracorporeal Life Support Over the Past Two Decades—Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry Analysis

OBJECTIVES

Data about inhospital outcomes in bleeding complications during extracorporeal life support (ECLS) have been poorly investigated.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational study.

SETTING

Patients reported in Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry.

PATIENTS

Data of 53.644 adult patients (greater than or equal to 18 yr old) mean age 51.4 ± 15.9 years, 33.859 (64.5%) male supported with single ECLS run between 01.01.2000 and 31.03.2020, and 19.748 cannulated for venovenous (V-V) ECLS and 30.696 for venoarterial (V-A) ECLS.

INTERVENTIONS

Trends in bleeding complications, bleeding risk factors, and mortality.

MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS

Bleeding complications were reported in 14.786 patients (27.6%), more often in V-A ECLS compared with V-V (30.0% vs 21.9%; p < 0.001). Hospital survival in those who developed bleeding complications was lower in both V-V ECLS (49.6% vs 66.6%; p < 0.001) and V-A ECLS (33.9 vs 44.9%; p < 0.001). Steady decrease in bleeding complications in V-V and V-A ECLS was observed over the past 20 years (coef., -1.124; p < 0.001 and -1.661; p < 0.001). No change in mortality rates was reported over time in V-V or V-A ECLS (coef., -0.147; p = 0.442 and coef., -0.195; p = 0.139).Multivariate regression revealed advanced age, ecls duration, surgical cannulation, renal replacement therapy, prone positioning as independent bleeding predictors in v-v ecls and female gender, ecls duration, pre-ecls arrest or bridge to transplant, therapeutic hypothermia, and surgical cannulation in v-a ecls.

CONCLUSIONS

A steady decrease in bleeding over the last 20 years, mostly attributable to surgical and cannula-site-related bleeding has been found in this large cohort of patients receiving ECLS support. However, there is not enough data to attribute the decreasing trends in bleeding to technological refinements alone. Especially reduction in cannulation site bleeding is also due to changes in timing, patient selection, and ultrasound guided percutaneous cannulation. Other types of bleeding, such as CNS, have remained stable, and overall bleeding remains associated with a persistent increase in mortality.

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: Special reference for use in 'post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock' - A review with an Indian perspective

The ultimate goals of cardiovascular physiology are to ensure adequate end-organ perfusion to satisfy the local metabolic demand, to maintain homeostasis and achieve 'milieu intérieur'. Cardiogenic shock is a state of pump failure which results in tissue hypoperfusion and its associated complications. There are a wide variety of causes which lead to this deranged physiology, and one such important and common scenario is the post-cardiotomy state which is encountered in cardiac surgical units. Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is an important modality of managing post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock with variable outcomes which would otherwise be universally fatal. VA-ECMO is considered as a double-edged sword with the advantages of luxurious perfusion while providing an avenue for the failing heart to recover, but with the problems of anticoagulation, inflammatory and adverse systemic effects. Optimal outcomes after VA-ECMO are heavily reliant on a multitude of factors and require a multi-disciplinary team to handle them. This article aims to provide an insight into the pathophysiology of VA-ECMO, cannulation techniques, commonly encountered problems, monitoring, weaning strategies and ethical considerations along with a literature review of current evidence-based practices.

Proton pump inhibitors versus histamine-2 receptor antagonists for stress ulcer prophylaxis during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a propensity score-matched analysis

PURPOSE

Patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) generally receive proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H₂RAs) to avoid major gastrointestinal bleeding. Our aim was to compare outcomes between patients receiving PPIs and H₂RAs for stress ulcer prophylaxis during ECMO.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination Database, using data recorded from 1 July 2010 to 31 March 2017. We defined patients who received PPIs within 2 days after starting ECMO as the PPIs group and those who received H₂RAs within 2 days after starting ECMO as the H₂RAs group. We performed propensity score matching to compare outcomes. The primary outcomes were gastrointestinal bleeding requiring endoscopic haemostasis and in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcomes were red blood cell transfusion, hospital-acquired pneumonia and Clostridium difficile infection during hospitalisation.

RESULTS

Of 11 328 eligible patients, 9738 received PPIs and 1590 received H₂RAs. Propensity score matching created 1556 pairs. No significant differences were seen regarding endoscopic haemostasis (1.2% vs 0.8%; p=0.37), in-hospital mortality (53.0% vs 53.1%; p=0.94), red blood cell transfusion rates (91.4% vs 89.7%; p=0.11), hospital-acquired pneumonia (13.0% vs 12.4%; p=0.59) or C. difficile infection (0.1% vs 0.2%; p=0.32) between the PPIs and H₂RAs groups, respectively.

CONCLUSION

We found no differences in the evaluated outcomes between the PPIs and H₂RAs groups. Both PPIs and H₂RAs are treatment options for stress ulcer prophylaxis in patients undergoing ECMO.