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: