Patients and Methods
From January 2016 until December 2019, 71 patients underwent eCPR at our institution. They were retrospectively analyzed and divided into two groups: ECMO (n=64) and
ECMO+Impella (n=7). The investigation was approved by the institutional review board of the University of Cologne and conformed to the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Due to its retrospective study, the need for written informed consent was waived.
eCPR protocol University Hospital Cologne
The interdisciplinary eCPR team of the University Hospital Cologne is running by the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Department of Cardiology. In situations of ongoing CPR, physicians of both divisions are involved in further treatment. ECMO (Maquet, Rastatt, Germany) implantations are performed in the catheterization laboratory, intensive care unit (ICU), or emergency room. After a general clinical examination and initial echocardiographic evaluation, the left or right groin is sterilized and prepared for ECMO implantation. Additional concomitant blood gas analysis is performed with the view to assessing initial metabolic parameters. ECPR is performed in the interdisciplinary consensus of the participating disciplines. The decision to cannulate is based on participating physicians’ judgment, following institutional criteria: