Standby Cannulated ECMO for High-Risk Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Although coronary artery bypass grafting is generally preferred in symptomatic patients with severe, complex multivessel, or left main disease, some patients present with clinical features that make coronary artery bypass grafting clinically unattractive. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with hemodynamic support may be feasible for these high-risk patients. Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) can be used to provide hemodynamic support during high-risk PCI procedures. However, ECMO might increase the rates of severe complications, such as bleeding and limb ischemia. Additionally, some patients might not need the support of ECMO. In this context, investigators propose a standby cannulated ECMO strategy, in which femoral cannulas are inserted and connected to primed circuit, and ECMO is initiated when needed. Therefore, investigators will conduct a prospective randomized clinical trial to compare outcomes between standby cannulated ECMO versus prophylactic ECMO in patients undergoing high-risk PCI. Investigators will randomly assign 176 symptomatic patients with complex 3-vessel disease or unprotected left main coronary artery disease or severely depressed left ventricular function to standby cannulated ECMO group (n=88) or prophylactic ECMO (n=88). The primary end point was the 30-day incidence of major adverse events, including all-cause death, myocardial infraction, any repeat revascularization procedure, stroke, PCI failure, limb ischemia, major bleeding, vascular injury requiring intervention, and need for renal replacement therapy.

Inclusion criteria

• Clinicians decide to perform PCI during ECMO support.
• Age of ≥18
• Patient presents with a compromised ejection fraction of less than 35% or at risk of hemodynamic deterioration, or intervention on the last patent coronary conduit or an unprotected left main artery, or complex 3-vessel disease (SYNTAX score of ≥33)
• Informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Subject in cardiogenic shock(need inotrope, pressor or mechanical support to maintain SBP >90mmHg)
• Presence of moderate to severe aortic insufficiency
• Severe peripheral vascular disease
• creatinine≥4mg/dL
• Liver dysfunction with elevation of liver enzymes and bilirubin levels to ≥ 3x ULN
• History of recent (within 1 month) stroke or TIA
• Abnormal coagulation(defined as platelet count ≤50000/mm3 or Fibrinogen ≤1.50g/L)
• Allergy or intolerance to heparin, aspirin, ADP receptor inhibitors, or documented heparin induced thrombocytopenia.