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Abstract Purpose Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can provide temporary circulatory support and vital organ oxygenation and is potentially useful as a bridge therapy in some trauma cases. This study aimed to demonstrate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with trauma treated with veno-arterial ECMO (VA-ECMO) using data from a Japanese nationwide trauma registry. Methods This retrospective descriptive study analyzed data from the Japan Trauma Data Bank between January 2019 and December 2021. Patients with trauma with injury severity score (ISS) ≥ 9 and treated using VA-ECMO were assessed. Results Out of 72,439 severe trauma cases, 51 received VA-ECMO, with a survival rate of 31.3%. Both survivor and non-survivor groups showed a median ISS of 25, with thoracic trauma being the most prevalent. Cardiac arrest occurred in 37.5% of survivors and 42.9% of non-survivors upon hospital arrival. Non-survivors underwent interventions such as open-chest cardiopulmonary resuscitation, aortic cross-clamping, and resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion more frequently. Peripheral oxygen saturation tended to be lower in survivors. Conclusion The study suggests the potential benefits of VA-ECMO in challenging trauma cases. Further research is needed to refine indications for VA-ECMO in patients with trauma.
Akutsu et al. (Mon,) studied this question.