Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation line-associated complications: in vitro testing of cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive and securement devices to prevent infection and dislodgement

Taressa Bull, Amanda Corley, Danielle J. Smyth, David J. McMillan, Kimble R. Dunster & John F. Fraser Intensive Care Medicine Experimental DOI 10.1186/s40635-018-0171-8

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) delivers cardiac and/or respiratory support to critically ill patients who have failed conventional medical therapies. If the large-bore cannulas used to deliver ECMO become infected or dislodged, the patient consequences can be catastrophic. ECMO cannula-related infection has been reported to be double the rate of other vascular devices (7.1 vs 3. 4 episodes/1000 ECMO days respectively). The aim of this study was to assess the ability of cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive (TA) to inhibit bacterial growth at the ECMO cannulation site, and the effectiveness of TA and securement devices in securing ECMO cannulas and tubing.