Outcomes of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation from a De novo ECMO center during resource limited settings of SARS-nCOV2 pandemic: A retrospective case series

Background: Outcomes of Veno-Venous extracoporeal membrane oxygenation during resource limited settings of SARS-nCOV2 pandemic from a denovo ECMO centre. Methods: Adult patients with age more than 18 years on VV-ECMO were evaluated on the duration of the onset of symptoms to hospital admissions (direct or referred); mechanical ventilation; time to initiate ECMO, Murray score, PaCO2, and PaO2/FiO2 ratio; associated organ injury; duration of intensive care unit; hospital stay; and mortality. Results: From 01 Jun 2020 to 30 May 2022, eight patients were placed on VV-ECMO. The mean age of cannulation was 46 years. Two (25%) patients were health-care workers. The mean Murray score, PaCO2, and the PaO2/FiO2 ratio were 3.375, 72.5 mmHg, and 65.98, respectively. The average time to initiate ECMO was 8.375 days from the time of admission, with an average duration of ECMO of 16.375 days. One (12.5%) survived the intervention and was discharged uneventfully. Conclusions: Delayed initiation of VV-ECMO in severe SARS-nCoV2 acute respiratory distress syndrome may result in higher mortality and worse outcomes.