Ask Dr. Z

This is the first time I’m seeing a case done like this…have you seen this before and/or do you know how it’s being coded?  The only ECMO code that I’m aware of is 36822…not sure how to code for the graft part.
Thanks!

PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSES:
1.  Ischemia of right lower extremity secondary to ECMO catheter.
2.  Need for new ECMO access.

POSTOPERATIVE DIAGNOSES:
1.  Ischemia of right lower extremity secondary to ECMO catheter.
2.  Need for new ECMO access.

OPERATION PERFORMED:
1.  Left groin cutdown, left common femoral artery exposure.
2.  Creation of conduit for ECMO ( 8-mm PTFE graft pulled through a 10-mm Dacron graft to left common femoral artery).
3.  Insertion of ECMO cannula arterial to left PTFE conduit.
4.  Right groin cutdown with right common femoral artery repair with bovine pericardial patch, decannulation of ECMO.
5.  Evaluation and placement of negative pressure VAC therapy, less than 25 cm2, left groin.
6.  Evaluation and placement of negative pressure VAC therapy, less than 25 cm in the right groin.

ANESTHESIA:  General endotracheal anesthesia.

ESTIMATED BLOOD LOSS:  Less than 100 cc.

DRAIN PLACED:  Bilateral groin VAC.

IV FLUIDS:  400 mL of crystalloid, 2 units of packed red blood cells, 2 units of FFP, 1 unit of platelets.

CONDITION:  Critical.

COMPLICATIONS:  None immediate.

INDICATIONS:  an 18 years old female, who has been an ICU patient.  Her initial diagnosis was infectious mononucleosis, it was complicated by respiratory failure as well as cardiac myopathy as well as liver failure and the necrotizing pancreatitis.  The patient had right ECMO catheter placed for about 2 weeks.  Patient initially had intermittent signals in her right lower extremity, but appears that in past over the span of past 24 hours, the ischemia of the right lower extremity has got worse with mottling of right lower extremity.  Patient did not have great volumes on the right lower extremity.  Therefore, decision was made to proceed with this procedure for decannulation of the ECMO from the right side to improve the perfusion of the right leg and therefore help possible viability of right leg and to get access to the left leg for ECMO.  Patient was a very high-risk procedure.  I explained clearly the multiple risk of the procedure including risk of death.  The patient's parents wished to proceed with the operation.

OPERATION:  After the informed consent obtained, the patient was brought to the operating room, placed in supine position.  General anesthesia was induced by anesthesiologist.  Patient's bilateral lower extremity was prepped and draped in standard sterile surgical fashion.  Anatomical landmarks were marked in the left groin including anterior superior iliac spine and pubic tubercle.  Vertical cutdown was performed in the left groin.  Skin was incised with a scalpel, soft tissue with the Bovie cautery.  There was massive tissue edema with infiltration with vitreous fluid.  Femoral artery was identified, common femoral, superficial femoral, profunda femoral artery were identified.  Vessel loops were placed across these vessels.
Next, a 6-mm arteriotomy was created into the common femoral artery.  An 8-mm PTFE graft was then sewed end-to-side to this arteriotomy with the help of a running 5-0 Prolene in a 4-quadrant fashion.  After the anastomosis was completed, proximal and distal clamps were released, forward flush, backward flush performed.  Anastomosis appeared intact.  This PTFE graft was tunneled inside a 10-mm Dacron graft.  Both of these grafts were then tunneled underneath the skin area and then brought through a separate stab wound distally.  The PTFE graft was then connected to the ECMO arterial cannula.  Arterial cannula was then connected and appeared to have good blood flow through the arterial catheter.  At this point in time, distal stab incision was closed with the help of interrupted nylon in a vertical mattress fashion.  Wound VAC therapy was placed in the left upper groin because of the bulging nature of the wound.  On the right side, a groin cutdown was performed.  Skin was incised with the scalpel and subcutaneous tissue with the Bovie cautery.  The muscles appeared dark in the right thigh area and they were not responsive to Bovie cautery at all.  The right groin arterial catheter was removed.  Fogarty was passed proximally and distally in the common femoral artery as well as in the superficial profunda femoral artery.  There appeared to be no clot.  There were no thrombus.  There was good inflow and there was good back bleeding through both SFA and profunda.  All these arteries were flushed with half saline in an olive-tip.  Next, a bovine pericardial patch was used for performing the femoral patch angioplasty of the common femoral artery with the help of 5-0 Prolene, just before completion of anastomosis, forward flush, backward flush were performed with anastomosis appeared intact.  Anastomosis was completed and the flow was released.  There were palpable pulses in the superficial femoral artery and profunda femoris artery; however, we were not able to obtain Doppler signal in the foot.  However, at this point in time, the patient has been hemodynamically unstable, and we were in the OR for more than an hour.  Since the muscles of the right lower extremity were not contractile, I made a decision not to perform further revascularization of right lower extremity because of the concern that the leg may not be viable at all and the fact that the patient may not tolerate any more surgery at this point in time.  We placed the VAC therapy in the right groin where plan is to follow the right leg for next 24 to 48 hours.  Even after restoration of the blood supply  if her legs remain mottled for next 24 to 48 hours, she may need a high amputation possible above knee amputation, possible  amputation hip disarticulation level.  Wound VACs were placed and the patient was transferred back to Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.