Helicopter inter-hospital transfer for patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a retrospective 12-year analysis of a service system

Fuchs, Alexander; Schmucki, Renate; Meuli, Lorenz; Wendel-Garcia, Pedro David; Albrecht, Roland; Greif, Robert; Pietsch, Urs

doi:10.1186/s13049-022-01018-0

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Fuchs, A., Schmucki, R., Meuli, L., Wendel-Garcia, P. D., Albrecht, R., Greif, R., & Pietsch, U. (2022). Helicopter inter-hospital transfer for patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a retrospective 12-year analysis of a service system. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 30(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-022-01018-0

Abstract

Background: Patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are critically ill and show high mortality. Inter-hospital transfer of these patients has to be safe, with high survival rates during transport without potentially serious and life-threatening adverse events. The Swiss Air-Rescue provides 24-h/7-days per week inter-hospital helicopter transfers that include on-site ECMO cannulation if needed. This retrospective observational study describes adverse events of patients on ECMO transported by helicopter, and their