Practice Test GeeksECMO - Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Practice Test
← All ECMO Flashcard Decks

Complications and Troubleshooting Flashcards

7 cards from real ECMO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Complications and Troubleshooting flashcards as text

  1. A patient on VA-ECMO develops a sudden drop in arterial line pressure with unchanged ECMO flows. What is the most likely cause?

    Answer: Cardiac tamponade

    Cardiac tamponade reduces native cardiac output, causing a drop in arterial pulsatility and blood pressure despite maintained ECMO flow.

  2. During VV-ECMO, SpO2 remains persistently low at 78% despite flows at 5 L/min. The sweep gas is 10 L/min and FiO2 is 1.0. What should be evaluated first?

    Answer: Recirculation fraction

    High recirculation means oxygenated blood is re-entering the drainage cannula before reaching the patient, causing persistent hypoxemia despite adequate flows.

  3. A visible clot is noted in the ECMO tubing near the pump head. The appropriate immediate action is to:

    Answer: Clamp the circuit and prepare for emergency circuit change

    A visible thrombus in the circuit poses an immediate risk of systemic embolism or pump failure, requiring circuit change rather than acceleration.

  4. A patient on ECMO has a platelet count that drops from 180,000 to 30,000 over 48 hours. The MOST likely cause in this clinical context is:

    Answer: ECMO circuit consumption

    Platelet consumption due to contact activation within the ECMO circuit is the most common cause of thrombocytopenia in ECMO patients.

  5. The ECMO centrifugal pump is running at 3,000 RPM but flow has dropped from 4.5 to 2.0 L/min with no change in circuit resistance. What is the most concerning explanation?

    Answer: Pump thrombus reducing pump efficiency

    Pump thrombus increases internal resistance and reduces the pump's hydraulic efficiency, causing decreased flow at the same RPM.

  6. A patient on peripheral VA-ECMO via femoral artery cannulation develops ipsilateral limb ischemia. The best intervention is to:

    Answer: Place an antegrade perfusion cannula distal to the ECMO cannula

    A distal perfusion cannula placed in the superficial femoral artery restores antegrade limb perfusion while maintaining ECMO support.

  7. Oxygenator post-membrane pO2 is measured at 85 mmHg with FiO2 of 1.0 and sweep at 10 L/min. This finding indicates:

    Answer: Oxygenator membrane failure

    A post-membrane pO2 of 85 mmHg with 100% FiO2 and high sweep indicates severely impaired membrane gas exchange, consistent with oxygenator failure.