Costs and complications of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy in Australia and New Zealand
Authors' conclusion
ECMO costs were high, with venovenous ECMO being most expensive due to an increased length of stay. Total patient cost increased with additional ECMO complications.
Study context
- Population
- Patients commenced on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) in Australia and New Zealand, 2019–2022
- Participants
- 1,345 patients
- Exposure
- Costs by ECMO mode and by complications
- Outcome
- Mean total patient cost (hospital admission to discharge, 2022 Australian Dollars) and costs associated with complications
Methodological detailsbinational
- Binational
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Mean total patient cost by ECMO mode
VV ECMO
$287,264
mean · SD $251,193 · 2022 Australian Dollars
Venoarterial (VA) ECMO
$215,128
mean · SD $162,418 · 2022 Australian Dollars
Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR)
$121,274
mean · SD $131,893 · 2022 Australian Dollars
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Infection | No infection |
|---|---|---|
| Mean total cost by infection | mean $292,197 (SD $217,806) 2022 Australian Dollars | mean $161,674 (SD $165,175) 2022 Australian Dollars |
Complications
- Complications occurred in patients
- 57%
- Cost incrementally increased with number of complications
Mean total cost by infection
- Mean costs significantly higher with infection
Key cost drivers
- ICU and hospital LOS, and ECMO-related procedure costs
Original publication
Costs and complications of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy in Australia and New Zealand. Crit Care. Published 20 May 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →