Effects of different VV ECMO blood flow rates on lung perfusion assessment by hypertonic saline bolus-based electrical impedance tomography.

Objective: Our study aimed to investigate the effects of different extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) blood flow rates on lung perfusion assessment using the saline bolus-based electrical impedance tomography (EIT) technique in patients on veno-venous (VV) ECMO. Methods: In this single-centered prospective physiological study, patients on VV ECMO who met the ECMO weaning criteria were assessed for lung perfusion using saline bolus-based EIT at various ECMO blood flow rates (gradually decreased from 4.5 L/min to 3.5 L/min, 2.5 L/min, 1.5 L/min, and finally to 0 L/min). Lung perfusion distribution, dead space, shunt, ventilation/perfusion matching, and recirculation fraction at different flow rates were compared. Results: Fifteen patients were included. As the ECMO blood flow rate decreased from 4.5 L/min to 0 L/min, the recirculation fraction decreased significantly. The main EIT-based findings were as follows. (1) Median lung perfusion significantly increased in region-of-interest (ROI) 2 and the ventral region [38.21 (34.93–42.16)% to 41.29 (35.32–43.75)%, p = 0.003, and 48.86 (45.53–58.96)% to 54.12 (45.07–61.16)%, p = 0.037, respectively], whereas it significantly decreased in ROI 4 and the dorsal region [7.87 (5.42–9.78)% to 6.08 (5.27–9.34)%, p = 0.049, and 51.14 (41.04–54.47)% to 45.88 (38.84–54.93)%, p = 0.037, respectively]. (2) Dead space significantly decreased, and ventilation/perfusion matching significantly increased in both the ventral and global regions. (3) No significant variations were observed in regional and global shunt. Conclusions: During VV ECMO, the ECMO blood flow rate, closely linked to recirculation fraction, could affect the accuracy of lung perfusion assessment using hypertonic saline bolus-based EIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]