The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Maastricht Treaty for Nomenclature in Extracorporeal Life Support A Position Paper of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization

Steven A. Conrad*, L. Mikael Broman, Fabio S. Taccone, Roberto Lorusso, Maximilian V. Malfertheiner, Federico Pappalardo, Matteo Di Nardo, Mirko Belliato, Lorenzo Grazioli, Ryan P. Barbaro, D. Michael McMullan, Vincent Pellegrino, Daniel Brodie, Melania M. Bembea, Eddy Fan, Malaika Mendonca, Rodrigo Diaz, Robert H. Bartlett

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) was developed more than 50 years ago, initially with venoarterial and subsequently with venovenous configurations. As the technique of ECLS significantly improved and newer skills developed, complexity in terminology and advances in cannula design led to some misunderstanding of and inconsistency in definitions, both in clinical practice and in scientific research. This document is a consensus of multispecialty international representatives of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization, including the North America, Latin America, EuroELSO, South West Asia and Africa, and Asia-Pacific chapters, imparting a global perspective on ECLS. The goal is to provide a consistent and unambiguous nomenclature for ECLS and to overcome the inconsistent use of abbreviations for ECLS cannulation. Secondary benefits are ease of multicenter collaboration in research, improved registry data quality, and clear communication among practitioners and researchers in the field.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)447-451
Number of pages5
JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Volume198
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Aug 2018

Keywords

  • terminology
  • extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
  • membrane oxygenators
  • extracorporeal circulation
  • cannula
  • MEMBRANE-OXYGENATION
  • RESPIRATORY-FAILURE
  • DRAINAGE

Cite this