EDECMO 24 – Weaning VA-ECMO, with Deirdre Murphy

In this episode, Zack and Joe talk with Deirdre Murphy, the Deputy Director of the ICU, director of the cardiothoracic ICU at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. The Alfred has put itself on the map in so many ways over the past decade. Home to Stephen Bernard (of the original Hypothermia after ROSC without RONF fame), Chris Nickson (@precordialthump, @I_C_N, @intensiveblog, #SMACC, lifeinthefastlane.com), and good friends Jason McClue, Steve McGloughlin, Josh Ihle, Paul Nixon, and Deirdre Murphy, The Alfred is becoming a mecca for advanced resuscitation and ECMO/ECPR. In this episode we sat down with Dr. Murphy to discuss the nuances of weaning a patient from ECMO. As ED Docs, Zack and I find ourselves at the heroic end of the resuscitation spectrum when the dying patient goes on pump...but what happens at the other end? What happens in the hours, days, and weeks that follow? Listen to this episode to find out...