Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge vs. non‐bridging for lung transplantation: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Whether extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge to lung transplantation (BTT) can achieve a similar survival to non‐BTT remains controversial. We conducted this meta‐analysis to compare the outcomes between ECMO BTT and non‐BTT to facilitate better clinical decision‐making. Seven databases were searched for eligible studies comparing ECMO BTT and non‐BTT. The primary endpoints included survival, intraoperative indicators, postoperative hospitalization indicators, and postoperative complications. Nineteen studies (involving 7061 participants) were included in the final analysis. The outcomes of overall survival, overall survival rate, graft survival rate, in‐hospital mortality, postoperative hospital days, postoperative intensive care unit days, postoperative ventilation time, blood transfusion volume, and postoperative complications were all better in the non‐BTT group. The total mortality in ECMO bridging was 23.03%, in which the top five causes of death were right heart failure (8.03%), multiple organ failure (7.03%), bleeding (not cranial) (4.67%), cranial bleeding (3.15%), and sepsis (2.90%). In summary, Non‐BTT is associated with better survival and fewer complications compared to BTT. When ECMO may be the only option, the patient and medical team need to realize the increased risk of ECMO by complications and survival.     

Extracorporeal life support as a bridge to high-urgency heart transplantation

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) represents an effective, emergent therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure or cardiac arrest. However, ECLS is typically not used as a bridge to heart transplantation because of the limited duration of ECLS. In France, high-urgency priority heart transplantation remains a possibility for transplant patients who are on ECLS. In this article, we present our experience with high-urgency priority heart transplantation after ECLS. From July 2004 to December 2009, 242 patients underwent emergent ECLS. Heart transplantation was performed in eight of these patients. Time of ECLS was 6.3 ± 4.6 d. Before heart transplantation, all patients on ECLS had decreased organ dysfunctions and four were conscious. Despite frequent post-operative complications, no death occurred during the first year after transplantation. In our experience, ECLS is a valid method of supporting patients awaiting high-urgency heart transplantation and can be used as a short-term bridge to heart transplantation.     

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation bridge to adult heart transplantation

Chung JC, Tsai PR, Chou NK, Chi NH, Wang SS, Ko WJ. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation bridge to adult heart transplantation.
Clin Transplant 2010: 24: 375–380. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can rescue some critical patients with circulatory collapse when intra‐aortic balloon pump (IABP) and ventricular assist devices (VAD) are not suitable. A subset of these patients can use ECMO for direct bridging, or indirect double bridging via VAD to heart transplantation (HTx). For these patients, we identified risk factors for unsuccessful ECMO bridging, with survival to receiving either HTx or VAD as the measure of success. The characteristics evaluated were age, sex, body mass index, pre‐ECMO cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), IABP use, dialysis use, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, and the etiology of cardiomyopathy. From January 1995 to August 2007, there were 70 adult ECMO patients with the intent to bridge to HTx (male: 55, age: 46 ± 14 yr). Thirty‐one patients (44%) were successful in bridging. A stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis found that age > 50 yr (p = 0.003), pre‐ECMO CPR (p = 0.001) and SOFA score > 10 at ECMO initiation (p = 0.018) were significant independent predictors of unsuccessful bridging. Direct VAD implantation, if possible, is preferable to double bridging in patients over 50 yr. Also, elective ECMO support before hemodynamic deterioration to cardiac arrest or multiple organ dysfunction would improve rates of successful ECMO bridging.     

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a direct bridge to heart transplantation in adults

Objectives

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use as a bridge to transplant is extremely infrequent in adults. We investigated patient outcomes of the use of ECMO as bridge to transplant.

Use of a ventricular assist device as a bridge to transplantation in a patient with single ventricle physiology and total cavopulmonary anastomosis

Mechanical circulatory support can be used to manage acute and chronic cardiac failure in both adult and pediatric patients. Traditionally, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been the most common form of mechanical circulatory support in children. However, more recently, in cases of pure ventricular dysfunction, ventricular assist devices (VADs) have offered specific advantages over ECMO, including better ventricular recovery, reduced anticoagulation requirements, decreased use of blood products and decreased cost. We present the use of a VAD in an adolescent with single-ventricle physiology, who could not be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) after undergoing a revision of a modified Fontan operation. Gas exchange was provided by the patient's lungs while the centrifugal VAD was used successfully to support the circulation as a bridge, first to a totally implantable pulsatile VAD and subsequently to heart transplantation.     

Significance of patient self‐monitoring for long‐term outcomes after lung transplantation

Kugler C, Gottlieb J, Dierich M, Haverich A, Strueber M, Welte T, Simon A. Significance of patient self‐monitoring for long‐term outcomes after lung transplantation.
Clin Transplant 2009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399‐0012.2009.01197.x
© 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Background: Lung transplant (LTx) recipients’ adherence to regular self‐monitoring of lung function (SMLF) is important in maintaining health. This study investigated patients’ behavior based on electronic monitoring (EM) and compared these findings with self‐reported data. Methods: This single‐center study included 269 patients following LTx. Patients reported on adherence regarding SMLF, and data were compared to electronically stored measurements for the last three months prior to self‐reporting. Results: Non‐adherence was 59.4% based on EM for a total of 22 052 measurements performed. Main reported reasons for non‐adherence were forgetfulness (22%), lack of time (19%), and good self‐perception of health status (19%). Determinants for non‐adherence were patients constraining beliefs (p ≤ 0.0001), low perceived support from the transplant center (p ≤ 0.008), a history of infections (p ≤ 0.014) and rejections (p ≤ 0.043), and bronchiolitis obliterans (p ≤ 0.006). Multiple logistic regression revealed low‐perceived support from the transplant center (OR 3.22; 95% CI 1.32–7.83; p < 0.01), and lack of support from patient organizations (OR 2.19; 95% CI 1.02–4.72; p < 0.04) as independent predictors for non‐adherence. Conclusions: LTx recipients had some difficulties maintaining SMLF on a daily basis. Non‐adherence regarding lung function monitoring may provide a clinically relevant estimate of suspect cases for critical events impacting outcomes after LTx.     

Pneumatic pulsatile ventricular assist device as a bridge to heart transplantation in pediatric patients

Despite the remarkable advances with the use of ventricular assist devices (VAD) in adults, pneumatic pulsatile support in children is still limited. We report on our experience in the pediatric population. A retrospective review of 17 consecutive children offered mechanical support with Berlin Heart as a bridge to heart transplant from February 2002 to April 2010 was conducted. The median patient age was 3.9 years (75 days to 13.3 years). The median patient weight was 14.1 kg (2.9–43 kg). Before VAD implantation, all children were managed by multiple intravenous inotropes and mechanical ventilation (14) or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (3). All patients had right ventricular dysfunction. Nine patients required biventricular mechanical support (BVAD), but in all other cases a single left ventricular assist device proved sufficient (47%). The median duration of VAD support was 47 days (1–168 days). The median pre‐VAD pulmonary vascular resistance index (Rpi) was 5.7 WU/m² (3.5 to 14.4 WU/m²). Eleven patients (65%) were successfully bridged to heart transplantation after a median duration of mechanical support of 68 days (6–168 days). Six deaths occurred (35%), three for neurological complications, one for sepsis, and two others for device malfunctioning. Since 2007, the survival rate of our patients has increased from 43% to 80%, and the need for BVAD has decreased from 86% to 30%. In two patients with Rpi >10 WU/m², unresponsive to pulmonary vasodilatator therapy, Rpi dropped to 2.2 and 2 WU/m² after 40 and 23 days of BVAD support, respectively. Seven patients (41%) required at least one pump change. Of 11 patients undergoing heart transplant, four developed an extremely elevated (>60%) panel reactive antibody by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, confirmed by Luminex. All of them experienced at least one acute episode of rejection in the first month after heart transplant, needing plasmapheresis. The survival rate after heart transplantation was 100% with a median follow‐up of 25.4 months (6 days to 7.7 years). Mechanical support in children with end‐stage heart failure is an effective strategy as a bridge to heart transplantation with a reasonable morbidity and mortality. BVAD support may offer an additional means to reverse extremely elevated pulmonary vascular resistance.     

Heart–lung vs. double‐lung transplantation for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension

Patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) have improved survival after heart–lung transplantation (HLT) and double‐lung transplantation (DLT). However, the optimal procedure for patients with IPAH undergoing transplantation remains unclear. We hypothesized that critically ill IPAH patients, defined by admission to the intensive care units (ICU), would demonstrate improved survival with HLT vs. DLT. All adult IPAH patients (>18 yr) in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) database, who underwent either HLT or DLT between 1987 and 2012, were included. Baseline characteristics, survival, and adjusted survival were compared between the HLT and DLT groups. Similar analyses were performed for the subgroups as defined by the recipients' hospitalization status. A total of 928 IPAH patients (667 DLT, 261 HLT) were included in this analysis. The HLT recipients were younger, more likely to be admitted to the ICU, and have had their transplant in previous eras. Overall, the adjusted survivals after HLT or DLT were similar. For recipients who were hospitalized in the ICU, DLT was associated with worse outcomes (HR 1.827; 95% CI 1.018–3.279). In IPAH patients, the overall survival after HLT or DLT is comparable. HLT may provide improved outcomes in critically ill IPAH patients admitted to the ICU at time of transplantation.     

Early airway dehiscence: Risk factors and outcomes with the rising incidence of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation

Background: Anastomotic complications occur in 7% to 18% of lung transplant recipients, among which airway dehiscence (AD) is particularly catastrophic. Using multi‐institutional registry data, this study compared preoperative recipient/donor risk factors and outcomes in patients with and without AD and analyzed the effect of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on the incidence of AD. Methods: Data on adult lung transplants from 2007 to 2017 were provided by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Patients receiving isolated lobar transplantation and patients with unknown AD status were excluded. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent risk factors for AD. Kaplan‐Meier curves and log‐rank tests describe mortality and graft survival. Results: Of 18 122 lung transplants, 275 (1.5%) experienced AD. While the incidence of ECMO steadily increased from 0.7% to 5.9% over the study period, the incidence of AD remained relatively constant. Multivariable analysis revealed recipient male gender and prolonged ( > 48 hours) posttransplant mechanical ventilation as independent predictive factors for AD, while advanced donor age and single left lung transplant were protective factors. Recipient chronic steroid use, recipient diabetes, donor diabetes, and donor smoking history were not predictive of AD. Mortality and graft failure were significantly worse in the AD group. Conclusions: Despite increased ECMO utilization, the incidence of AD has remained stable. Multiple independent risk factors for AD were identified and poor postoperative outcomes confirmed. However, many known impediments to wound healing such as recipient chronic steroid use, recipient and donor diabetes, and donor smoking were not identified as risk factors for AD, reinforcing the critical role of technical performance.