Low flow rate alters haemostatic parameters in an ex-vivo extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuit

Ki KK, Passmore MR, Chan CHH, Malfertheiner MV, Fanning JP, Bouquet M, Millar JE, Fraser JF, Suen JY. Intensive Care Med Exp. DOI: 10.1186/s40635-019-0264-z

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-saving modality used to manage cardiopulmonary failure refractory to conventional medical and surgical therapies. Despite advances in ECMO equipment, bleeding and thrombosis remain significant complications. While the flow rate for ECMO support is well recognized, less is known about the minimum-rate requirements and haemostasis. We investigated the relationship between different ECMO flow rates, and their effect on haemolysis and coagulation.