Objectives: 

While potential risks for limb ischemia have been explored in studies of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), they remain inadequately defined for patients undergoing extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). We identified risk factors for the development of lower limb ischemia during ECPR using a large nationwide ECPR cohort.

Design: 

A post hoc analysis was conducted using a nationwide, multicenter, retrospective study (Study of Advanced Cardiac Life Support for Ventricular Fibrillation with Extracorporeal Circulation in Japan II [SAVE-J II]).

Setting: 

Thirty-six institutions from 2013 to 2018.

Patients: 

Adult patients who underwent ECPR for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Interventions: 

None.

Measurements and Main Results: 

Lower limb ischemia was defined as the requirement for a therapeutic distal perfusion catheter (DPC), fasciotomy, or amputation. Risk factors for lower limb ischemia were assessed using multivariate logistic regression models that included patient characteristics, ECPR-related information, and resuscitation content as potential confounders. Of the 969 patients, 72 (7.4%) developed lower limb ischemia. No significant differences were observed regarding background characteristics, cannulation location, puncture method, or venoarterial ECMO catheter size between patients with and without limb ischemia. However, a prophylactic DPC was less frequently employed in patients with lower limb ischemia than in those without (4 [5.6%] vs. 219 [24.4%]; p < 0.001). Higher incidences of cannulation-related bleeding and cannula malposition were observed in patients with limb ischemia than in those in patients without limb ischemia (22 [30.6%] vs. 162 [18.1%]; p = 0.009 and 9 [12.5%] vs. 29 [3.2%]; p < 0.001, respectively). Multivariable analyses revealed that prophylactic DPC placement was associated with a lower risk of limb ischemia (0.20 [0.07–0.55]; p = 0.002), whereas cannulation-related bleeding and cannula malposition were linked to an increased risk of lower limb ischemia (1.83 [1.06–3.14]; p = 0.030 and 3.81 [1.68–8.64]; p = 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions: 

Lower limb ischemia during ECPR would be anticipated in patients with cannulation-related complications, and prophylactic DPC placement may be considered to mitigate the risk of lower limb ischemia.