Case Reports

First Use of a Novel Extracorporeal Life Support System: Successful Application in Tracheoesophageal Fistula Repair

^* Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona;
^† Department of Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona;
^‡ Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona;
^§ Ironwood Cancer and Research Centers, Phoenix, Arizona; and
^‖ Department of Nursing, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona

Address correspondence to: Cory M. Alwardt, PhD, CCP, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic Arizona, 5777 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85054. E-mail: alwardt.cory@mayo.edu

Received: 5 August 2021
Accepted: 26 October 2021

Abstract

Extracorporeal life support, commonly referred to as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), is indicated when conventional medical and surgical measures fail to support a patient during cardiac or respiratory failure. Increased use of ECMO in recent years has led to innovation that has improved safety in appropriate candidates. This has resulted in the application of novel approaches to complex surgical problems. Herein, we describe a simple, novel, and new-to-market ECMO circuit used for successful perioperative veno-venous ECMO support of a patient undergoing complex repair of a tracheoesophageal fistula. We believe that this circuit and its use for intra-and post-operative extracorporeal support provides a framework for safe and simple ECMO support in the future, including perioperative support for patients undergoing complicated and challenging thoracic procedures.