Outcomes of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation as a Bridge to Lung Transplantation

Tipograf and colleagues analyzed outcomes for 121 patients with end-stage lung disease who were placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), 70 of whom (59%) were successfully bridged to lung transplantation. Independent predictors of unsuccessful bridging included unplanned endotracheal intubation, renal replacement therapy, and cerebrovascular accident. Lung transplant recipients who received pretransplant ECMO support had similar outcomes to transplant recipients not receiving support, and the authors conclude that ECMO can be used successfully to bridge patients to lung transplantation when it is implemented by an experienced team with adherence to stringent protocols and patient selection.