A novel escalation from veno-venous bypass to veno-venous ECMO during orthotopic liver transplantation. A case report

We describe the challenging perioperative course of a 55-year-old patient with hepatic failure requiring liver transplantation (LT). Different modalities of the extracorporeal device were successfully used, ranging from veno-veno bypass to partial and full veno-veno extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in order to optimize preload, reduce bleeding from the collateral circulation, optimize acid base balance and/or improve oxygenation. The case highlights the potential use of the device as a rescue method in challenging cases. Furthermore this is the first documented case that extracorporeal CO₂ removal (ECCO₂R) is used to optimize the biochemistry profile intraoperatively during a LT. The patient was weaned off the device at the end of the case and has been discharged home.