Optimizing Breathing and Blood Flow in Patients Treated With VA ECMO

We hypothesize that an individualized PEEP titration guided by esophageal pressure measurements and Electrical Impedance Tomography can reduce lung overdistention, enhance lung recruitment, and improve V/Q matching by optimizing regional ventilation and perfusion also in VA ECMO.

Our objectives are:

To describe V/Q matching in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation during peripheral VA ECMO support.

To explore the impact of PEEP titration based on esophageal pressure and EIT in terms of lung mechanics and V/Q matching.