Table 1.

Upper body oxygenation during V-A ECMO for severe respiratory failure with infusion in one femoral artery

	Upper body oxygen saturation
	Drainage from IVC	Drainage from SVC
Experimental study in sheep [13]	35%	75%
Patient case report [14]	57%	85%
Simulation model [14]	64%	81%

Blood was initially drained from the inferior caval vein (IVC) resulting in a low upper body oxygenation (dual circulation), but when the draining site was changed to the superior caval vein (SVC) a marked improvement occurred. Saturation was measured in the aortic root in the experimental study and in the right hand in the patient and in the simulation