Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) is a life support technique used for patients with life-threatening respiratory failure. It effectively addresses arterial hypoxemia without overstretching the injured lungs. Traditional adult V-V ECMO typically requires two-site, single-lumen cannulas inserted into the femoral and jugular/subclavian veins or both femoral veins. However, this approach can increase the risk of local complications (such as infection and bleeding) and limit patient mobility.^1,2

The introduction of double-lumen cannulas (DLCs), such as the Avalon© bicaval dual-lumen cannula and the Crescent jugular dual-lumen catheter, has enabled single-site cannulation for V-V ECMO. The primary advantage of DLCs is the single-site puncture, usually via the right internal jugular vein. This approach reduces local complications and recirculation fraction while improving patient mobility, including better repositioning in bed and prone positioning, which has been shown to enhance survival rates in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) receiving V-V ECMO.³

We conducted a retrospective multicenter study of 23 adult patients who received V-V ECMO cannulated with a Crescent jugular dual-lumen catheter across 13 ECMO centers between December 2021 and March 2023. We distributed a questionnaire to potential centers, and those that responded and expressed willingness to participate were included in the study. Each use of the Crescent jugular dual-lumen catheter was documented via a survey questionnaire (Supplementary Table 1), which included the following categories: (1) ECMO center characteristics: hospital type and clinical departments assisting with ECMO insertion; (2) patient characteristics: age, sex, and primary diagnosis; (3) clinical management-related data: implantation methods, cannula size (Fr), monitoring methods for insertion, monitoring duration, patient body position, anticoagulation management, ECMO flow and flow rate, blood gas analysis values (arterial oxygen saturation, venous oxygen saturation, arterial oxygen partial pressure), active partial thromboplastin time, and activated clotting time; (4) clinical outcomes: ECMO weaning, ECMO duration, local or systemic complications, survival to discharge, and cause of death.

This study was approved by the institutional review board of each participating hospital (approval number from the primary research center, Fuwai Hospital: 2023-2263), and the requirement for consent was waived.