EDECMO 20 – The Golden Hour & the Rule of 3’s: Optimizing the Critical First Hour on Heart-Lung Bypass
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Apr 11, 2015
Delve into the critical 'golden hour' on heart-lung bypass, where pivotal decisions shape patient outcomes. Discover the intricate assembly of the ECMO circuit and the vital role nurses play in this complex setup. Learn the essential steps to ensure a safe heart-lung bypass and the need for continuous monitoring of blood oxygenation and hemodynamic status. Explore advanced techniques for managing patient perfusion, while emphasizing the importance of indicators like blood flow and gas analysis for optimal ECMO management.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Proper ECMO Circuit Priming
Prime the ECMO circuit by filling it with heparinized crystalloid solution via gravity.
Squeeze prime bags to remove air, then start the pump and de-air through the oxygenator vent.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Critical Pre-ECMO Checks
Before initiating ECMO, heparinize the patient with 5,000 units IV.
Ensure oxygen source is attached and no open central lines to avoid air embolism.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Post-ECMO Initiation Checks
After starting bypass, verify arterial line has bright red blood and venous line dark red.
Secure cannulas with sutures and close recirculation bridge before progressing.
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Reanimate San Diego. February 25-26, 2016. The essentials of ECMO in 2 glorious days. Here is a sneak peak at the Reanimate 2016 Promo Video.
Flipped Classroom SMACC ECMO Workshop 2015
For those taking the upcoming ECMO courses with us, download both of these 2 attachments. The first is a diagram of a traditional ECMO circuit – its nice to print this out and follow along. Not every circuit is the same and we have ours custom built by Maquet. The second is a self-study course. While it isn’t necessary to review these before our workshop, it will really put you ahead of the game and we focus more on procedures.
Plug in the machine and power-on the heater-cooler and the Rotaflow console.
Unpackage the circuit and hold it up to orient yourself.
Mounting the Rotaflow Pump to the Pump Drive
Attach the Oxygenator to the bracket and the pump to the pump-drive; hang the distal ends of the circuit (the tubes that will connect to the patient) from the IV pole.
Apply ultrasonic contact cream to the flow probe contact site
Remove and DISCARD the yellow de-airing exit port cap on the top of the oxygenator.
Connect the water lines from the heater-cooler to the Quadrox Oxygenator & open the stopcocks.
“Run the circuit”, making sure that the recirculation bridge is OPEN, arterial and venous tubing is CLAMPED, rapid-prime tubes are CLAMPED, both of the blood sampling “pig tail” stopcocks are CLOSED.
PRIME the circuit: Priming the Circuit: Filling the ECMO circuit (tubing, pump, oxygenator) with crystalloid priming solution (ie Isolyte), adding 2,500 units of heparin to each 1-liter bag of priming solution. We discuss the finer details of this with Greg Griffin, the Chief Perfusionist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in EDECMO 8.
squeeze all air out of prime bag INTO the circuit and then hang those bags from the IV pole.
Open the ratchet clamps: the circuit will fill (prime) by gravity.
Connect the Oxygen supply line (from Oxygen tank) to the Oxygen inlet port on the oxygenator
De-air the circuit:
Remove the patient-lines that are hanging from the IV pole and drop them below the fluid level of the IV bags to prime them. ratchet-clamp them closed. Now the entire circuit has been primed.
Open the recirculation bridge and briefly increase the RPM on the Rotaflow Console until the pump is running at 4LPM for 15 seconds. This will de-air the circuit as air is release from the de-ar exit port on the Oxygenator. ***Some air may still be trapped in the pump though. So…
Turn the RPM on the Rotaflow console to zero. Allow any air in the pump head to flow into the PVC tubing between the pump head and the oxygenator and then return the RPM to 4LPM to complete the de-airing process.
Calibrate the flow-probe: Reduce pump speed to zero RPM, clamp off the recirculation bridge and “ZERO” the flow probe by pushing the “ZERO” button for a few seconds. The console will beep.
Initiation of Total Heart Lung Bypass (STAGE 3)
So you’ve cannulated your patient while your ECMO-nurse has primed the circuit with crystalloid. Connect the venous and arterial PVC lines from the circuit to the ECMO cannulas in the patient. And since this is STAGE 3, we’ve established the EDECMO “Rule of 3’s.” There are 3 things you need remember before, during, and after you’ve initiated heart-lung bypass.
A. 3 Critical First Steps BEFORE initiating bypass:
Heparinize the patient = 5,000 units IV bolus
Heparin 2,500 units in each liter of priming solution
Bioline coating
ACT > 200 seconds
Attach O2 source (@ 4-6 LPM) to the Oxygenator
No open central lines (CVP, Swan-Ganz, etc).
CLOSE the Recirculation Bridge and OPEN the venous and arterial ratchet clamps. Turn up the RPM on the Rotaflow console. Your patient is on heart-lung bypass.
B. 3 Critical things to confirm JUST AFTER your patient is on bypass:
The arterial line should have bright red (oxygenated) blood and the venous line should be dark-red.
IF you see BRIGHT-BRIGHT, you’ve incorrectly placed both cannulas in the same vessel.
If you see DARK-DARK, there is a problem with the oxygenator. Confirm your O2 supply to the oxygenator.
Your cannulas are secured to the skin with suture and tape.
The recirculation bridge is CLOSED.
C. 3 Critical Values to Optimize ECMO
1. Optimize Blood Flow:
Establish the MAXIMUM blood flow (LPM) at the lowest RPM. GOAL = 60 ml/kg
Increase the RPM on the Rotaflow console until:
Any further increases in RPM does not result in increased blood flow (LPM).
The circuit begins to “Chatter.”
SvO2 > 70%
IF flow is too low: 1. Infuse more volume 2. reposition venous cannula 3. add a venous cannula
2. Arterial Blood Gas Analysis:
GOAL: “normal” ABG (PaO2 80-100; PaCO2 35-45)
IF PaO2 < 80, THEN you need more blood flow through the Oxygenator
IF PaO2 > 100, THEN its time to add a gas blender and turn down the FiO2 from the Oxygen source
IF PaCO2 < 35, THEN decrease your “Sweep Gas Rate” by lowering the LPM on the O2 supply
IF PaCO2 > 45, THEN increase your “Sweep Gas Rate” by increasing the LPM on the O2 supply
3. Optimize Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR)
SVR = (MAP – CVP) x 80
C.O.
SVR = (MAP – 0) x 80
Blood Flow
***GOAL = SVR > 800
IF, for a given blood flow, the MAP is unreasonably low, you need a pure VASOPRESSOR = Phenylephrine
IF, for a given blood flow, the MAP is unreasonably HIGH, you need a VASODILATOR = Nitroprusside
Or, Goal MAP > 65
The Shinar 3000: Tall Paul ECMO Simulator
Zack built an ECMO simulator model in his garage. Here is the video:
EDECMO Podcast 
So you’ve cannulated your patient while your ECMO-nurse has primed the circuit with crystalloid. Connect the venous and arterial PVC lines from the circuit to the ECMO cannulas in the patient. And since this is STAGE 3, we’ve established the EDECMO “Rule of 3’s.” There are 3 things you need remember before, during, and after you’ve initiated heart-lung bypass.