Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Intoxication and Overdoses: A Systematic Review

Sven Maier; Lisa Rösner; Lars Saemann; Jonas Sogl; Friedhelm Beyersdorf; Georg Trummer; Martin Czerny; Christoph Benk

doi:10.1055/s-0043-1764160

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Intoxication and Overdoses: A Systematic Review

Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2023 Mar 20. doi: 10.1055/s-0043-1764160. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Sven Maier^{1

2}, Lisa Rösner^{1

2}, Lars Saemann³, Jonas Sogl^{1

2}, Friedhelm Beyersdorf^{1

2}, Georg Trummer^{1

2}, Martin Czerny^{1

2}, Christoph Benk^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
² University of Freiburg Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
³ Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany.

PMID: 36940708
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1764160

Abstract

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been increasingly applied over recent decades to treat severe cardiogenic shock and acute lung failure and cardiac arrest of various causes. Acute intoxication with therapeutic substances or other chemical substances can cause severe cardiogenic shock or even cardiac arrest. The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative systematic review of ECMO use in intoxication and poisoning.

Methods: We searched the PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science databases from January 1971 to December 2021 and selected appropriate studies according to our inclusion and exclusion criteria to evaluate the role of ECMO in intoxication and poisoning systematically. Survival at hospital discharge was examined to describe the outcome.

Results: The search resulted in 365 publications after removing duplicates. In total, 190 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. A total of 145 articles from 1985 to 2021 were examined in our final qualitative analysis. A total of 539 (100%) patients were included (mean age: 30.9 ± 16.6 years), with a distribution of n = 64 (11.9%) cases with venovenous (vv) ECMO, n = 218 (40.4%) cases with venoarterial (va) ECMO, and n = 257 (47.7%) cases with cardiac arrest and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Survival at hospital discharge was 61.0% for all patients, 68.8% for vaECMO, 75% for vvECMO, and 50.9% for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Conclusion: When used and reported, ECMO seems to be a valid tool for adult and pediatric patients suffering intoxication from various pharmaceutical and nonpharmaceutical substances due to a high survival rate at hospital discharge.