Refractory cardiac shock in the cardiac surgical intensive care unit confers significant morbidity and mortality. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become a common intervention for refractory cardiogenic shock when other therapies have failed. However, it is difficult to predict who will benefit from this costly, resource-intensive, but potentially life-saving technology. Here, we discuss the utility of a novel biomarker, serum butylcholinesterase, in determining survival in patients supported with ECMO following cardiac surgery. © 2014 Stephens and Fan; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
CITATION STYLE
Stephens, R. S., & Fan, E. (2014, February 20). Choosing wisely - when to mend a broken heart with ECMO? Critical Care. https://doi.org/10.1186/cc13736
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