A randomized trial using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) devices to treat people with cardiogenic shock found that those who received immediate ECMO had comparable outcomes to those who initially received conservative therapy to stabilize blood flow throughout the body (hemodynamic stabilization)
The immediate use of veno-arterial mechanical circulatory extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) devices to support adults with rapidly deteriorating or severe cardiogenic shock was feasible but did not improve clinical outcomes compared to people who received early conservative therapy, according to late-breaking clinical trial results presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2022.
Such early ECMO in this setting is increasingly common, but it didn t seem to improve outcomes in the trial compared with a more conservative approach that kept ECMO in reserve as needed.