Cerebral Microemboli in Venoarterial ECMO Patients

Cerebral Perfusion Clinical Trial

Official title: Cerebral Microemboli in Critically Ill Patients Undergoing Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is progressively used in critically ill patients with cardiac or respiratory failure as a bridging option for potential organ recovery. However, ECMO survivors often suffer from poor neurocognitive outcome due to neurological complications such as microembolic (ME) strokes.

In venoarterial (va) ECMO circuits the pulmonary circulation, which usually serves as microembolic filter, may be bypassed and generated ME are prone to reach the brain in substantial amounts and potentially impair cerebral integrity. Although patient exposure to cerebral ME has been thoroughly investigated in cardiopulmonary bypass procedures, there is only limited research on cerebral ME in patients undergoing ECMO therapy.

The primary study goal of this study is to determine the load and nature of cerebral ME in critically ill patients under va-ECMO support. We also aim to compare the results to measurements in healthy subjects und intensive care unit (ICU) patients without extracorporeal support to get a better impression on the relevance of ME generation during ECMO support.

Clinical Trial Description

The addition of ICU patients was made according to reviewer suggestions after an initial submission to a medical journal. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Cerebral Microembolism
• Cerebral Perfusion
• Complication of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

• NCT number: NCT02020759
• Study type: Observational
• Source: Medical University of Vienna
• Status: Completed
• Start date: June 2014
• Completion date: March 2019