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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2024 Apr 18.
Published in final edited form as: Circulation. 2023 Apr 17;147(16):1237–1250. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.062371

Figure 2: Hemodynamic effects of VA-ECMO.

Figure 2:

VA-ECMO reduces right atrial pressure, decongesting the liver and kidneys. Mean aortic pressure rises increasing afterload, if the left ventricle (LV) is unable to overcome the increased afterload, stroke volume falls resulting in loss of aortic pulsatility and stagnation of blood potentiating thrombus formation. Rising LV end diastolic pressure transmitted to the left atrium leads to pulmonary congestion. Backwards failure eventually increases pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and pulmonary artery diastolic pressure with loss of pulmonary artery pulsatility and worsening lung injury.