Mechanical circulatory assist devices are now commonly used in the treatment of severe heart failure as bridges to cardiac transplant, as destination therapy for patients who are not transplant candidates, and as bridges to recovery and "decision-making". These devices, which can be used to support the left or right ventricles or both, restore circulation to the tissues, thereby improving organ function. Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are the most common support devices. To care for patients with these devices, health care providers in emergency departments (EDs) and intensive care units (ICUs) need to understand the physiology of the devices, the vocabulary of mechanical support, the types of complications patients may have, diagnostic techniques, and decision-making regarding treatment. Patients with LVADs who come to the ED or are admitted to the ICU usually have nonspecific clinical symptoms, most commonly shortness of breath, hypotension, anemia, chest pain, syncope, hemoptysis, gastrointestinal bleeding, jaundice, fever, oliguria and hematuria, altered mental status, headache, seizure, and back pain. Other patients are seen for cardiac arrest, psychiatric issues, sequelae of noncardiac surgery, and trauma. Although most patients have LVADs, some may have biventricular support devices or total artificial hearts. Involving a team of cardiac surgeons, perfusion experts, and heart-failure physicians, as well as ED and ICU physicians and nurses, is critical for managing treatment for these patients and for successful outcomes. This review is designed for critical care providers who may be the first to see these patients in the ED or ICU.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for severe acute respiratory failure was proposed more than 40 years ago. Despite the publication of the ARDSNet study and adoption of lung protective ventilation, the mortality for acute respiratory failure due to acute respiratory distress syndrome has continued to remain high. This technology has evolved over the past couple of decades and has been noted to be safe and successful, especially during the worldwide H1N1 influenza pandemic with good survival rates. The primary indications for ECMO in acute respiratory failure include severe refractory hypoxemic and hypercarbic respiratory failure in spite of maximum lung protective ventilatory support. Various triage criteria have been described and published. Contraindications exist when application of ECMO may be futile or technically impossible. Knowledge and appreciation of the circuit, cannulae, and the physiology of gas exchange with ECMO are necessary to ensure lung rest, efficiency of oxygenation, and ventilation as well as troubleshooting problems. Anticoagulation is a major concern with ECMO, and the evidence is evolving with respect to diagnostic testing and use of anticoagulants. Clinical management of the patient includes comprehensive critical care addressing sedation and neurologic issues, ensuring lung recruitment, diuresis, early enteral nutrition, treatment and surveillance of infections, and multisystem organ support. Newer technology that delinks oxygenation and ventilation by extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal may lead to ultra-lung protective ventilation, avoidance of endotracheal intubation in some situations, and ambulatory therapies as a bridge to lung transplantation. Risks, complications, and long-term outcomes and resources need to be considered and weighed in before widespread application. Ethical challenges are a reality and a multidisciplinary approach that should be adopted for every case in consideration.

Inter-facility transport of a critically ill patient with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) may be necessary for a higher level of care and/or initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). During the COVID19 pandemic, ECMO has been used for patients with severe ARDS with successful results. Transporting a patient after ECMO cannulation by the receiving facility brings forth logistic challenges including availability of adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the transport team and hospital capacity management issues. We report our designated ECMO transport team’s experience with five patients with COVID19 associated severe ARDS after cannulation at the referring facility. Focusing on transport associated logistics, creation of checklists, and collaboration with EMS partners is necessary for safe and good outcomes for patients while maintaining team safety.

The adrenal steroid hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated derivative [DHEA(S)] have been extensively studied for their potential anti-aging effects. Associated with aging, DHEA levels decline in humans, whereas other adrenal hormones remain unchanged, suggesting that DHEA may be important in the aging process. However, the effect of DHEA(S) supplementation on cardiac function in the aged has not been investigated. Therefore, we administered to young and old female mice a 60-day treatment with exogenous DHEA(S) at a dose of 0.1 mg/ml in the drinking water and compared the effects on left ventricular diastolic function and the myocardial extracellular matrix composition. The left ventricular stiffness (beta) was 0.30 +/- 0.06 mmHg/mul in the older control mice compared with 0.17 +/- 0.02 mmHg/mul in young control mice. Treatment with DHEA(S) decreased left ventricular stiffness to 0.12 +/- 0.03 mmHg/mul in the older mice and increased left ventricular stiffness to 0.27 +/- 0.04 mmHg/mul in young mice. The mechanism for the DHEA(S)-induced changes in diastolic function appeared to be associated with altered matrix metalloproteinase activity and the percentage of collagen cross-linking. We conclude that exogenous DHEA(S) supplementation is capable of reversing the left ventricular stiffness and fibrosis that accompanies aging, with a paradoxical increased ventricular stiffness in young mice.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO) use is dramatically increasing in recent years. This case report describes a patient on veno-venous (VV) ECMO for H1N1 who underwent emergent craniotomy twice for intracranial hemorrhage. Case presentation: A 38-year-old male presented to a community hospital for worsening shortness of breath. He had experienced cough, malaise and fatigue for two weeks prior to presentation. On arrival, his arterial oxygen saturation was 64%. He was placed on oxygen via non-rebreather mask and started on Tamiflu plus antibiotics. He was intubated for worsening respiratory failure. Despite maximal ventilator settings, the arterial oxygen saturation was approximately 90%. He was placed in the prone position and nitric oxide was initiated. Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to influenza was diagnosed by viral PCR, clinical presentation, and diagnostic imaging. Within 24 hours of his intubation, a decision was made to initiate veno-venous (V-V) ECMO for respiratory support. Five days following the initiation of ECMO, asymmetric pupils and a nonreactive right pupil were noted. A massive right frontal intraparenchymal hemorrhage with midline shift and downward uncal herniation was found on computed tomography (CT). A decision was made to surgically intervene. He was taken to the operating room for immediate right frontal craniotomy and clot evacuation under general anesthesia. Conclusion: With the dramatic increase in ECMO use, anesthesiologists are encountering patients on ECMO in the operating room with more frequency. When the situation does arise, it is imperative that the anesthesiologist is knowledgeable about ECMO and how to appropriately administer anesthesia for these critically ill patients. Challenges M. Kraus et al. 252 confronting the anesthesiologist with ECMO patients include managing bleeding or coagulopathy, ventilation and oxygenation, volume status, transporting and positioning these patients, and altered pharmacokinetics of anesthetic drugs.