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Patient Care During ECMO

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ECMO-Extracorporeal Life Support in Adults

Abstract

Patient care during ECMO includes daily nursing and a careful head-to-toe examination to assess organ functions, reveal actual problems and draw the daily care plan. Nursing care should take into account the risks related to anticoagulation and the presence of ECMO equipment. Neurological evaluation, need and depth of sedation, assessment of effective protective ventilation and timing for weaning, haemodynamic assessment, infective status, bowel function and nutritional support and hepatic and renal function are the key points in the standard head-to-toe examination of the ECMO patients. The complex interaction between the patient and the ECMO apparatus must be accounted during the evaluation. Finally, complications such as bleeding and pneumothorax should be promptly recognised and treated; to minimise the risk of bleeding, a “do no harm” approach must be used avoiding unnecessary invasive procedures.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. General Intensive Care Unit, Department of Emergency and Urgency, San Gerardo Hospital, Via Pergolesi 33, Monza, (MB), 20900, Italy

    Michela Bombino & Sara Redaelli

  2. Department of Health Sciences, Department of Urgency and Emergency, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Via Pergolesi 33, Monza, (MB), 20900, Italy

    Nicolò Patroniti MD

Authors
  1. Michela Bombino
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  2. Sara Redaelli
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  3. Nicolò Patroniti MD
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Correspondence to Michela Bombino .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza (MB), Italy

    Fabio Sangalli

  2. Department of Health Sciences Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza (MB), Italy

    Nicolò Patroniti

  3. Health Science Departement, Università Milano Bicocca Facoltà Medicina e Chirurgia, Monza (MB), Italy

    Antonio Pesenti

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Bombino, M., Redaelli, S., Patroniti, N. (2014). Patient Care During ECMO. In: Sangalli, F., Patroniti, N., Pesenti, A. (eds) ECMO-Extracorporeal Life Support in Adults. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5427-1_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5427-1_30

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-5426-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-5427-1

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