IMAJ | volume 26
Journal 9, October 2024
pages: 540-545
1 Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Intensive Care, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
2 Department of Surgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
3 Israeli ECMO Society, iECMOs, Israel
4 Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
Summary
Background:
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic posed significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide, including a surge in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
Objectives:
To compare outcomes and costs of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 adult patients treated with ECMO in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective study. Clinical outcomes, ECMO duration, ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS), and healthcare costs were examined and compared between the two groups.
Results:
A total of 119 patients were treated with ECMO between 2016 and 2023; 56 (47.1%) diagnosed with COVID-19. The study found no significant difference in mortality rates between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. However, COVID-19 patients experienced significantly longer ECMO durations and ICU LOS. Hospitalization and ECMO operation costs were notably higher for COVID-19 patients, but overall admission costs were lower compared to non-COVID-19 patients, with cost of surgical interventions, consultations and imaging contributing to the price gap.
Conclusions:
Despite longer durations of ECMO and LOS, the economic burden of ECMO in COVID-19 patients was significantly lower than non-COVID-19 patients. Strict patient selection should be utilized, a fortiori during times of surge-capacity.