ECMO cannula guidance

ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) cannula guidance in critical care involves using ultrasound to accurately place cannulas for life support. This crucial medical application ensures precise vascular access for patients with severe respiratory or cardiac failure, minimizing complications like vessel injury or malposition. Real-time ultrasound visualization during the procedure enhances safety and efficacy, optimizing patient outcomes in intensive care settings.

For medical professionals, mastering ECMO cannula guidance with ultrasound is essential for high-quality critical care. Ultrasound provides immediate feedback on needle and wire progression, confirming correct placement and preventing inadvertent arterial punctures or other adverse events. This technique significantly improves the success rate of ECMO initiation, making it a cornerstone of modern critical care ultrasound practice.

Clinical Author

Bruno Vargas is originally from Mexico City. He first trained as an Emergency Medical Technician at la Universidad Panamericana (UP) before starting medical school at la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City. Later he did his social service year in the Sierra Madre of Chiapas with Partners in Health Mexico/Compañeros en Salud (CES) in 2019, where he was trained in Global Health, social medicine, and introduced to Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS). At that moment while working in a resource-limited setting he became passionate about POCUS. He graduated as a general practitioner, and afterward stayed with CES during the pandemic as part of the COVID-19 task force, training community healthcare workers and “pasantes” (first-year doctors doing their year of social service). He finished the Ultrasound Leadership Academy (ULA) fellowship and has started a POCUS training program at his site with midwives, nurses, doctors, and trainees from these areas. He is currently doing a Global Health Fellowship with HEAL as a site fellow in Chiapas with CES. He has committed to a lifelong career in global health providing healthcare access to the most marginalized communities. He has a profound respect and admiration for nature and loves any kind of outdoor activities, especially bicycling, high mountain, and scuba-diving.

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