EDECMO 93: Do you Blend? with Trina Augustin

This seems like such a basic question and yet the answer is not an answer at all. Rather it is an educated opinion. Today we ask the question - Should we blend ECPR patients? Here's the basic problem. We think hyperoxemia in critically ill patients is bad (Remember hyperoxemia is high oxygen in blood, hyperoxia is high oxygen in the tissue). We think that hypoxemia in critically ill patients is bad. So if a patient gets put on ECMO and we can make the oxygen level coming out of the machine whatever level we want, what level should we set it at? Well, today, Trina Augustin teaches how this seemingly simple problem is actually quite complex. Trina is an ECMO superstar. She practices at Mayo in Rochester as CV Intensivist with a background in CC/EM. She teaches the most complex part of Reanimate - post pump critical care and yes she cannulates patients as well. Listen to Zack and Trina banter over this complex topic specifically focusing on the release of the Blender Trial.