Feasibility of pump-controlled retrograde trial off in weaning from veno-arterial ECMO in adults—A single-center case series

Lau FM, Chan WK, Mok YT, Lai PCK, Ma SKT, Ngai CW, Sin WC, Kwok WLP, Yu KY, Chan WM, Fraser JF, Ng PY Artificial Organs DOI: 10.1111/aor.14527

Abstract: Various strategies of weaning V-A ECMO have been described. PCRTO is a weaning technique which involves serial decremental pump revolutions until a retrograde flow from the arterial to venous ECMO cannula is achieved. It has been reported as a feasible weaning strategy in the pediatric population, but its application in adults has not been widely reported. Methods: This was a case series including all adult patients who underwent PCRTO during weaning from V-A ECMO at a tertiary ECMO center between January 2019 and July 2021. The primary end point was the successful weaning from V-A ECMO support.