target plateau airway pressure on ventilator with ECMO

Q: What should be the target plateau airway pressure on ventilator settings once Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is initiated in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) patient? 


 Answer: Ideally less than 20 cm H2O but at least should be less than 30 cm H2O 

 The primary goal of Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is to minimize the burden on lung via minimizing (as much as possible) the barotrauma and volutrauma. The best target to keep check of stress on lungs is to keep plateau airway pressure less than 20 cm H2O.

#ARDS
#ECMO
#Pulmonary


Reference: 

Zhang Z, Gu WJ, Chen K, Ni H. Mechanical Ventilation during Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Patients with Acute Severe Respiratory Failure. Can Respir J. 2017;2017:1783857.