• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• 제50권1호
• /
• pp.8-13
• /
• 2017

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been successfully used as a method for the interhospital transportation of critically ill patients. In South Korea, a well-established ECMO interhospital transport system is lacking due to limited resources. We developed a simplified ECMO transport system without mechanical ventilation for use by public emergency medical services. Methods: Eighteen patients utilized our ECMO transport system from December 2011 to September 2015. We retrospectively analyzed the indications for ECMO, the patient status during transport, and the patient outcomes. Results: All transport was conducted on the ground by ambulance. The distances covered ranged from 26 to 408 km (mean, $65.9{\pm}88.1km$) and the average transport time was $56.1{\pm}57.3minutes$ (range, 30 to 280 minutes). All patients were transported without adverse events. After transport, 4 patients (22.2%) underwent lung transplantation because of interstitial lung disease. Eight patients who had severe acute respiratory distress syndrome showed recovery of heart and lung function after ECMO therapy. A total of 13 patients (70.6%) were successfully taken off ECMO, and 11 patients (61.1%) survived. Conclusion: Our ECMO transport system without mechanical ventilation can be considered a safe and useful method for interhospital transport and could be a good alternative option for ECMO transport in Korean hospitals with limited resources.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• 제63권5호
• /
• pp.184-188
• /
• 2020

Background: Many critically ill patients require transfer to a higher-level hospital for complex medical care. Despite the publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for pediatric interhospital transportation services and the establishment of many pediatric transport programs, adverse events during pediatric transport still occur. Purpose: To determine the incidence of adverse events occurring during pediatric transport and explore their complications and risk factors. Methods: This prospective observational study explored the adverse events that occurred during the interhospital transport of all pediatric patients referred to the pediatric intensive care unit of Ramathibodi Hospital between March 2016 and June 2017. Results: There were 122 pediatric transports to the unit. Adverse events occurred in 25 cases (22%). Physiologic deterioration occurred in 15 patients (60%). Most issues (11 events) involved circulatory problems causing patient hypotension and poor tissue perfusion requiring fluid resuscitation or inotropic administration on arrival at the unit. Respiratory complications were the second most common cause (4 events). Equipment-related adverse events occurred in 5 patients (20%). The common causes were accidental extubation and endotracheal tube displacement. Five patients had both physiologic deterioration and equipment-related adverse events. Regarding transport personnel, the group without complications more often had a physician escort than the group with complications (92% vs. 76%; relative risk, 2.4; P=0.028). Conclusion: The incidence of adverse events occurring during the transport of critically ill pediatric patients was 22%. Most events involved physiological deterioration. Escort personnel maybe the key to preventing and appropriately monitoring complications occurring during transport.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• 제55권6호
• /
• pp.452-461
• /
• 2022

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be used in patients with refractory cardiogenic shock or respiratory failure. In South Korea, the need for transporting ECMO patients is increasing. Nonetheless, information on urgent transportation and its outcomes is scant. Methods: In this retrospective review of 5 years of experience in ECMO transportation at a single center, the clinical outcomes of transported patients were compared with those of in-hospital patients. The effects of transportation and the relationship between insertion-departure time and survival were also analyzed. Results: There were 323 cases of in-hospital ECMO (in-hospital group) and 29 cases transferred to Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital without adverse events (mobile group). The median transportation time was 95 minutes (interquartile range [IQR], 36.5-119.5 minutes), whereas the median transportation distance was 115 km (IQR, 15-115 km). Transportation itself was not an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.818; IQR, 0.381-1.755; p=0.605), long-term mortality (OR, 1.099; IQR, 0.680-1.777; p=0.700), and failure of ECMO weaning (OR, 1.003; IQR, 0.467-2.152; p=0.995) or survival to discharge (OR, 0.732; IQR, 0.337-1.586; p=0.429). After adjustment for covariates, no significant difference in the ECMO insertion-departure time was found between the survival and mortality groups (p=0.435). Conclusion: The outcomes of urgent transportation, with active involvement of the ECMO center before ECMO insertion and adherence to the transport protocol, were comparable to those of in-hospital ECMO patients.

• Neonatal Medicine
• /
• 제18권1호
• /
• pp.137-142
• /
• 2011

목적: 산모와 신생아 환자의 응급 진료는 치료의 특수성 때문에 치료할 수 있는 의료 기관 및 자원이 한정적이며, 상황에 따라 유동적으로 변화한다. 이에 저자들은 부산 지역 1339 응급의료 정보 센터를 통해 산모와 신생아 환자의 전원 상태를 조사하고, 주산기 의료 전달 체계의 현황을 파악하고자 하였다. 방법: 2009년 1월 1일부터 2009년 12월 31일까지 부산 지역 1339 응급 의료 정보 센터 전산 시스템에 입력된 자료를 이용하였다. 전원이 의뢰된 산모 378명과 신생아 136명을 대상으로 전원 성공률, 전원 결정까지 접촉한 의료 기관 수 및 소요 시간, 전원 이유, 전원 거절 이유를 후향적으로 조사하였다. 결과: 산모는 전원 성공률이 65.5%였고, 전원 결정까지 접촉한 의료 기관은 2.7개, 소요 시간은 평균 24.4분(11.3-29.8분)이었다. 전원을 의뢰한 이유는 미숙아 분만이 가장 많았고, 전원이 거절된 이유는 의료진 부족, 의료 장비 부족, 병상 부족 순이었다. 신생아는 전원 성공률이 71.3%였고. 전원 결정까지 접촉한 의료 기관은 2.4개, 소요 시간은 평균 15.6분(7.9-21.3분)이었다. 전원을 의뢰한 이유는 호흡기 증상이 가장 많았고, 전원이 거절된 이유는 병상 부족, 의료 장비 부족, 의료진 부족 순이었다. 결론: 응급 의료 정보 센터를 통해 많은 산모와 신생아가 전원되나 전원 성공률은 높지 않았다. 산모와 신생아 환자에 대한 주산기 진료 체계의 적정성 평가와 함께 앞으로 통합적이고 지역화된 주산기 의료 전달 체계의 구축을 위해서는 국가적 차원의 접근이 필요하겠다.