The French Society of Intensive Care Medicine (SRLF), jointly with the French-Speaking Group of Paediatric Emergency Rooms and Intensive Care Units (GFRUP) and the French-Speaking Association of Paediatric Surgical Intensivists (ADARPEF), worked out guidelines for the management of central venous catheters (CVC), arterial catheters and dialysis catheters in intensive care unit. For adult patients: Using GRADE methodology, 36 recommendations for an improved catheter management were produced by the 22 experts. Recommendations regarding catheter-related infections’ prevention included the preferential use of subclavian central vein (GRADE 1), a one-step skin disinfection(GRADE 1) using 2% chlorhexidine (CHG)-alcohol (GRADE 1), and the implementation of a quality of care improvement program. Antiseptic- or antibiotic-impregnated CVC should likely not be used (GRADE 2, for children and adults). Catheter dressings should likely not be changed before the 7th day, except when the dressing gets detached, soiled or impregnated with blood (GRADE 2− adults). CHG dressings should likely be used (GRADE 2+). For adults and children, ultrasound guidance should be used to reduce mechanical complications in case of internal jugular access (GRADE 1), subclavian access (Grade 2) and femoral venous, arterial radial and femoral access (Expert opinion). For children, an ultrasound-guided supraclavicular approach of the brachiocephalic vein was recommended to reduce the number of attempts for cannulation and mechanical complications. Based on scarce publications on diagnostic and therapeutic strategies and on their experience (expert opinion), the panel proposed definitions, and therapeutic strategies.

Despite quick implementation of reperfusion therapies, a few patients with high-risk, acute, massive, pulmonary embolism (PE) remain highly hemodynamically unstable. Others have absolute contraindication to receive reperfusion therapies. Venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) might lower their right ventricular overload, improve hemodynamic status, and restore tissue oxygenation. ECMO-related complications and 90-day mortality were analyzed for 17 highly unstable, ECMO-treated, massive PE patients admitted to a tertiary-care center (2006–2015). Hospital- discharge survivors were assessed for long-term health-related quality of life. A systematic review of this topic was also conducted. Seventeen high-risk PE patients [median age 51 (range 18–70) years, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) 78 (45–95)] were placed on VA-ECMO for 4 (1–12) days. Among 15 (82%) patients with pre-ECMO cardiac arrest, seven (41%) were cannulated during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and eight (47%) underwent pre-ECMO thrombolysis. Pre-ECMO median blood pressure, pH, and blood lactate were, respectively: 42 (0–106) mmHg, 6.99 (6.54–7.37) and 13 (4–19) mmol/L. Ninety-day survival was 47%. Fifteen (88%) patients suffered in-ICU severe hemorrhages with no impact on survival. Like other ECMO-treated patients, ours reported limitations of all physical domains but preserved mental health 19 (4–69) months post-ICU discharge. VA-ECMO could be a lifesaving rescue therapy for patients with high-risk, acute, massive PE when thrombolytic therapy fails or the patient is too sick to benefit from surgical thrombectomy. Because heparin-induced clot dissolution and spontaneous fibrinolysis allows ECMO weaning within several days, future studies should investigate whether VA-ECMO should be the sole therapy or completed by additional mechanical clot-removal therapies in this setting.

Rationale: Optimal positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is unknown in patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation receiving mechanical ventilation with very low tidal volume. Objectives: To evaluate the ability of electrical impedance tomography (EIT) to monitor a PEEP trial and to derive from EIT the best compromise PEEP in this setting. Methods: A decremental PEEP trial (20–0 cm H₂O) in 5 cm H₂O steps was monitored by EIT, with lung images divided into four ventral-to-dorsal horizontal regions of interest. The EIT-based PEEP providing the best compromise between overdistention and collapsed zones was arbitrarily defined as the lowest pressure able to limit EIT-assessed collapse to less than or equal to 15% with the least overdistention. Driving pressure was maintained constant at 14 cm H₂O in pressure controlled mode. Measurements and Main Results: Tidal volume, static compliance, tidal impedance variation, end-expiratory lung impedance, and their respective regional distributions were visualized at each PEEP level in 15 patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Low tidal volume (2.9–4 ml/kg ideal body weight) and poor compliance (12.1–18.7 ml/cm H₂O) were noted, with significantly higher tidal volume and compliance at PEEP₁₀ and PEEP₅ than PEEP₂₀. EIT-based best compromise PEEPs were 15, 10, and 5 cm H₂O for seven, six, and two patients, respectively, whereas PEEP₂₀ and PEEP₀ were never selected. Conclusions: The broad variability in optimal PEEP observed in these patients with severe ARDS under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation reinforces the need for personalized titration of ventilation settings. EIT may be an interesting noninvasive bedside tool to provide real-time monitoring of the PEEP impact in these patients.

Structural neurological complications (ischemic stroke and intracranial bleeding) and their risk factors in patients receiving venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) are poorly described. Our objective was to describe frequencies, outcomes and risk factors for neurological complications (ischemic stroke and intracranial bleeding) in patients receiving VA-ECMO. Retrospective observational study conducted, from 2006 to 2014, in a tertiary referral center on patients who developed a neurological complication(s) on VA-ECMO. Among 878 VA-ECMO-treated patients, 65 (7.4%) developed an ECMO-related brain injury: 42 (5.3%) ischemic strokes and 20 (2.8%) intracranial bleeding, occurring after a median [25th;75th percentile] of 11 [6;18] and 5 [2;9] days of support, respectively. Intracranial bleeding but not ischemic stroke was associated with higher mortality. Multivariable analysis retained only platelet level > 350 giga/L as being associated with ischemic stroke. Female sex, central VA-ECMO and platelets < 100 giga/L at ECMO start were independently associated with intracranial bleeding with respective odds ratios [95% CI] of 2.9 [1.1–7.5], 3.8 [1.1–10.2] and 3.7 [1.4–9.7]. In a nested case–control study, rapid CO2-level change from before-to-after ECMO start also seemed to be associated with intracranial bleeding. Neurological events are frequent in VA-ECMO-treated patients. Ischemic stroke is the most frequent, occurs after 1 week on ECMO support, has no specific risk factor and is not associated with higher mortality. Intracranial bleeding occurs earlier and is associated with female sex, central VA-ECMO, low platelet count and rapid CO2 change at ECMO start, and high mortality. This study provides Class IV evidence that central VA-ECMO, low platelet count and rapid CO2 change at ECMO start are associated with intracranial bleeding and high mortality.

Introduction: Ventilator settings for patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome supported by venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation are currently set arbitrarily. The impact on serum and pulmonary biotrauma markers of the transition to ultra-protective ventilation settings following extracorporeal membrane oxygenation implantation, and different mechanical ventilation strategies while on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were investigated. Design: Randomized clinical trial. Settings: Nine-month monocentric study. Patients: Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome patients on venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Interventions: After starting extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, patients were switched to the bi-level positive airway pressure mode with 1 second of 24 cm H₂O high pressure and 2 seconds of 12 cm H₂O low pressure for 24 hours. A computer-generated allocation sequence randomized patients to receive each of the following three experimental steps: 1) high pressure 24 cm H₂O and low pressure 20 cm H₂O (very high positive end-expiratory pressure–very low driving pressure); 2) high pressure 24 cm H₂O and low pressure 5 cm H₂O (low positive end-expiratory pressure–high driving pressure); and 3) high pressure 17 cm H₂O and low pressure 5 cm H₂O (low positive end-expiratory pressure–low driving pressure). Plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products, plasma interleukin-6, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 were sampled preextracorporeal membrane oxygenation and after 12 hours at each step. Measurements and Main Results: Sixteen patients on ECMO after 7 days (1–11 d) of mechanical ventilation were included. “Ultra-protective” mechanical ventilation settings following ECMO initiation were associated with significantly lower plasma sRAGE, interleukin-6, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 concentrations. Plasma sRAGE and cytokines were comparable within each on-ECMO experimental step, but the lowest bronchoalveolar lavage sRAGE levels were obtained at minimal driving pressure. Conclusions: ECMO allows ultra- protective ventilation, which combines significantly lower plateau pressure, tidalvolume, and driving pressure. This ventilation strategy significantly limited pulmonary biotrauma, which couldtherefore decrease ventilator-induced lung injury. However, the optimal ultra-protective ventilation strategy once ECMO is initiated remains undetermined and warrants further investigations. (Crit Care Med 2019; 47:1505–1512)

Importance: Prone positioning may improve outcomes in patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but it is unknown whether prone positioning improves clinical outcomes among patients with ARDS who are undergoing venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) compared with supine positioning.Objective: To test whether prone positioning vs supine positioning decreases the time to successful ECMO weaning in patients with severe ARDS supported by VV-ECMO.Design, Setting, and Participants: Randomized clinical trial of patients with severe ARDS undergoing VV-ECMO for less than 48 hours at 14 intensive care units (ICUs) in France between March 3, 2021, and December 7, 2021.Interventions: Patients were randomized 1:1 to prone positioning (at least 4 sessions of 16 hours) (n = 86) or to supine positioning (n = 84).Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was time to successful ECMO weaning within 60 days following randomization. Secondary outcomes included ECMO and mechanical ventilation–free days, ICU and hospital length of stay, skin pressure injury, serious adverse events, and all-cause mortality at 90-day follow-up.Results: Among 170 randomized patients (median age, 51 [IQR, 43-59] years; n = 60 women [35%]), median respiratory system compliance was 15.0 (IQR, 10.7-20.6) mL/cm H₂O; 159 patients (94%) had COVID-19–related ARDS; and 164 (96%) were in prone position before ECMO initiation. Within 60 days of enrollment, 38 of 86 patients (44%) had successful ECMO weaning in the prone ECMO group compared with 37 of 84 (44%) in the supine ECMO group (risk difference, 0.1% [95% CI, −14.9% to 15.2%]; subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.71-1.75]; P = .64). Within 90 days, no significant difference was observed in ECMO duration (28 vs 32 days; difference, −4.9 [95% CI, −11.2 to 1.5] days; P = .13), ICU length of stay, or 90-day mortality (51% vs 48%; risk difference, 2.4% [95% CI, −13.9% to 18.6%]; P = .62). No serious adverse events were reported during the prone position procedure.Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with severe ARDS supported by VV-ECMO, prone positioning compared with supine positioning did not significantly reduce time to successful weaning of ECMO.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04607551