Volume Displacement Pulsatile Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Preliminary Data From In Vitro Tests

Silver Heinsar, Clayton Semenzin, Samia M Farah, John F Fraser DOI 10.1097/MAT.0000000000002207

Introduction: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) is increasingly used to treat refractory cardiogenic shock, despite randomized clinical trials reporting no difference in outcomes. Although traditional ECMO pumps maintain a constant flow by sustaining a consistent impeller rotation speed, innovative designs featuring alternating pump speeds to generate a pulsatile flow pattern have emerged. With several potential benefits reported, such as improved microvascular perfusion and indirect unloading, newer pumps aim to improve patient outcomes. Here, we aimed to investigate a novel pressure-sensitive volume displacement pulsatile V-A ECMO device using a validated mock-circulation loop (MCL).