Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) is a surgical emergency that can develop in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). ACS is a type of limb ischemia, which means that the limb, such as the arm or leg, loses blood flow. Patients on ECMO can develop this condition for many reasons, but most commonly from the ECMO procedure itself. This most commonly involves the leg. Key symptoms of ACS include severe pain, loss of pulses, loss of feeling, and inability to move the limb. However, because patients on ECMO are often sedated, ACS is difficult to diagnose as patients can not report symptoms. As a result, the only available tool for diagnosing ACS may be measurement of pressures in the limb. This is normally done with a needle-device, which is inserted into the leg for a single measurement. However, a recently developed device, called the MY01 Continuous Compartment Pressure Monitor, allows for continuous pressure readings instead of a single measurement. Multiple measurements may allow for much greater accuracy in diagnosing ACS, which may result in faster time to surgery and potentially save more limbs than single measurements. This device may also be less invasive than an older method of continuous pressure measuring, which uses a needle and tubing that is 14-gauge in size. Therefore, this study aims to compare 3 different types of methods for diagnosing ACS in patients on ECMO, which are 1) Standard of Care, 2) Standard of Care and MY01, and 3)Standard of Care and 14-gauge slit catheter.
Adults ≥18 years of age
Peripheral Venoarterial-Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Sedated
Any limb ischemia diagnosis prior to ECMO cannulation
Any severe extremity trauma that precludes insertion of device
Very poor prognosis (survival >72 hours is unlikely), which also includes severe coagulopathy. Severely coagulopathic patients are at risk for severe hemorrhage and thus may not survive fasciotomy.
Parallel
MY01 + Standard of Care
DeviceIn addition to standard of care, the MY01 device will be inserted by an orthopedic surgeon into the leg on the same side as the ECMO tubing. This will occur within 6 hours of the start of ECMO. Insertion of the device involves a needle, which is removed once the device is inserted. Monitoring of the device will occur as described by the device manufacturer, which includes a mobile application. If at any time the compartment pressures suggest that there may be ACS, an orthopedic surgeon will be called to perform a physical exam. If the physical exam supports the diagnosis of ACS, then an additional pressure measurement with a needle may be also taken to confirm the measurement. If the diagnosis of ACS is made, the decision to proceed with surgery, or fasciotomy, will be a joint decision made by entire team. Monitoring of with the device will be done for 24 hours. The device will be removed after 24 hours or if the diagnosis of ACS is made.
14-Gauge Slit Catheter + Standard of Care
DeviceFor the 14-gauge slit catheter group, the exact same protocol will be followed as the MY01 group. The 14-gauge slit catheter consists of tubing that is 14-gauge in size, which is inserted into the leg with a needle. The needle will be removed once the tubing is inserted. The tubing is then connected to a monitor, which will display the pressure in the leg. Just like the MY01 group, the leg will be numbed and cleaned before the tube is inserted in the leg. Instead of the data being recorded on a mobile device, a nurse or nurse technician will document pressure readings every 4 hours for a total of 24 hours. Once monitoring is finished, the 14-gauge slit catheter will be removed from the leg.
Standard of Care
Other interventionIf assigned to standard of care, the participant will undergo monitoring within 1 hour of the start of ECMO. For standard of care group, this will involve monitoring the leg with the ECMO tubing with physical exam every 4 hours for the first 24 hours. This will be performed by a trained nurse. If at any time there is suspicion for ACS, the physical exam will be verified by an orthopedic surgeon. The orthopedic surgeon will decide if pressure measurements will be necessary. If so, then a single pressure measurement from each compartment will be taken with a needle device. If the ACS diagnosis is made, any further monitoring of that leg is stopped. The decision to proceed with surgery, or fasciotomy, will be a joint decision made by entire team, which includes surgeons and medical doctors. This is currently the standard of care at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Number of Participants with Diagnosed Compartment syndrome
Diagnosis of compartment syndrome
Number of Participants that Require Amputation
If amputation is performed during hospitalization
Number of Deaths During Hospitalization
Mortality
Number of Participants with Amputation-free survival
Survival of hospitalization without amputation
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