Interhospital Transport of the ECMO Patients in Bangkok Hospital

Abstract

An extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO) is used to support the heart and lungs in patients with severe cardiogenic shock and respiratory failure. When these cases occur in hospitals that cannot provide ECMO care, the interhospital transport of ECMO is necessary. Since November 2014, Bangkok Hospital has had 3 ECMO cases from Chiangmai, Trad and Pattaya respectively. There were no complications with establishing ECMO during transportation. Two of the patients survived, although they developed deep vein thrombosis after the removal of ECMO. Unfortunately one patient suffered pulmonary hemorrhage and died from circuit thrombosis due to pulmonary hemorrhage.