Use of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in central airway obstruction to facilitate interventions leading to definitive airway security

PurposeExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is useful for providing hypoxic patients with ventilatory support, but its usefulness in the management of patients with central airway obstruction has rarely been reported. Nineteen cases in one center where venovenous (VV) ECMO was used to support patients with severe central airway obstruction while they underwent lifesaving interventions are reported here.MethodsIn total, 113 cases of VV ECMO were performed in Asan Medical Center between January 2009 and June 2012. In 19 cases (18 patients), VV ECMO was used to support patients with severe airway obstruction.ResultsOf the 18 patients, 13 were male, and their median age was 62.5 (range, 16-82) years. The main reasons for using ECMO to provide airway security were malignant mass removal with a rigid bronchoscope (8 cases) and insertion of a tracheal stent (7 cases). The median ECMO time was 20.9 (range, 2.2-113.4) hours. In 1 case, a patient died of massive bleeding after a malignant mass was removed. Weaning off ECMO therapy occurred successfully in the remaining 18 cases.ConclusionsVenovenous ECMO may be useful in patients with central airway obstruction because it provides short-term airway security while lifesaving procedures are being performed.