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Boston, MA (April 30, 2021) - A new study, presented today at the AATS 101st Annual Meeting, found that severely ill COVID-19 patients treated with ECMO did not suffer worse long-term outcomes than other mechanically-ventilated patients. The multidisciplinary team included cardio thoracic surgeons, critical care doctors, medical staff at long-term care facilities, physical therapists and other specialists, and followed patients at five academic centers: University of Colorado; University of Virginia; University of Kentucky; Johns Hopkins University; and Vanderbilt University.
Survivors of critical illness are at high risk for long-term physical, psychological, and cognitive deficits. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) shows promising survival benefit for select patients with COVID-19. However, its impact on long-term recovery was unknown. The study measured physical, psychological, and cognitive deficits in in 46 patients who were canulated for ECMO compared to a