Archive | 2019
What is the Role of the ABCDEF Bundle in Patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Abstract
The ABCDEF bundle (i.e., Assess, Prevent and Manage Pain; Both Spontaneous Awakening/Breathing Trials; Choice of analgesia and sedation; Delirium: Assess, Prevent, Manage; Early Mobility; Family engagement) is a popular topic in critical care and cardiac surgery. There are several special considerations depending on the patient population prior to embarking on these efforts. Patients requiring circulatory support for either respiratory and/or cardiac dysfunction via extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may have pulmonary and/or hemodynamic instability. This severity of illness may elevate uncertainty about the implementation of the ABCDEF bundle in ECMO patients, and herein lays the current evidence about using these elements in patients with severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction requiring this advanced life support.