Cerebral hemodynamics in infants undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: further observations.

Publication/Presentation Date

7-1-1988

Abstract

Intracranial Doppler ultrasonographic examinations were performed on 64 infants treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Serial studies were performed on the anterior cerebral artery in 55 infants before and during ECMO bypass, and on the middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) and internal carotid arteries (ICAs) on an additional nine infants. The onset of ECMO was associated with changes in character of pulsatile flow, direction of flow, and mean blood-flow velocity. Pulsatility decreased in all patients, and mean blood-flow velocity increased in 73% of patients (mean change from baseline, 87%). Despite retrograde flow in the right ICA in five of nine infants, antegrade flow to the right MCA was preserved in all cases. We found no correlation between alterations in mean blood-flow velocity and overall mortality, frequency of intracranial hemorrhage, and neuro-developmental outcome. These data suggest that wide variations in cerebral blood flow occur with ECMO therapy, and that these changes appear to be well tolerated.

Volume

168

Issue

1

First Page

163

Last Page

167

ISSN

0033-8419

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Pediatrics

PubMedID

3289088

Department(s)

Department of Pediatrics

Document Type

Article

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