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Management of continuous venous gas emboli during extracorporeal life support utilizing the Kolobow gas trap

Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, AR, USA, Department of Pediatric Perfusion, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA

Charles E Johnson

Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, AR, USA, Department of Pediatric Perfusion, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA

Juan Tucker

Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, AR, USA, Department of Pediatric Perfusion, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA

Michael L Schmitz

Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, AR, USA, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Section of Pediatric Cardiovascular Anesthesiology, Little Rock, AR, USA

Jonathan J Drummond-Webb

Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, AR, USA, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Section of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, Little Rock, AR, USA, drummond-webbjonathan{at}uams.edu

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) with a roller pump system uses a closed cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit not equipped with a venous reservoir. Hence, gas emboli cannot escape the ECLS circuit, predisposing to clot formation, membrane failure and potential gas embolism. Rarely, some patients may develop a continuous release of gas into the venous circulation from multiple sources. Two pediatric ECLS cases are presented with continuous venous gas embolism. A ‘gas trap’ was devised by creating a column of fluid erected vertically on the venous line. This allowed gas to rise within the column, separating it from the ECLS circuit, thus, preventing gas from lodging in the membrane.

Perfusion, Vol. 19, No. 5, 301-304 (2004)
DOI: 10.1191/0267659104pf756oa


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