• List circuit monitoring tools.
• List the considerations for selecting the appropriate ECMO cannula.
• Outline the process of percutaneous cannulation
• Discuss the role of ultrasound in cannulation
• Discuss anticoagulation monitoring on ECMO.
• List standard management strategies for respiratory failure
• Discuss the rationale of VV ECMO in respiratory failure
• Describe the concept of native lung rest
• Troubleshoot recirculation.
• List standard management strategies for cardiac failure
• Discuss the rationale of VA ECMO in cardiac failure
• Describe the concept of native heart rest.
• Describe ventilator management and blood and gas flow titration for pulmonary support.
• Describe the process of weaning VV ECMO support.
• List exit strategies for the VV ECMO patient.
• Describe the process of weaning VA ECMO support
• List exit strategies for the VA ECMO patient
• List medical and mechanical complications of ECMO.

1. The ECMO circuit:
2. • Indications and challenges of ‘non-standard’ ECMO configurations (V-AV, V-P, high flow configurations, V-A with subclavian return line, …)
3. Cannulation for adult cardiac and respiratory ECMO:
   • Role of imaging for safe ECMO cannulation and troubleshooting, focus on ultrasound
4. ECMO for adult respiratory failure:
   • Ventilator management and potential role for prone positioning during VV-ECMO support
   • Management of suboptimal oxygenation during VV-ECMO support
   • Weaning from VV-ECMO support
5. ECCO₂R: Evidence, indications and techniques
6. ECMO for adult cardiac failure:
   • Assessment and treatment of complications secondary to Patient – VA-ECMO Interactions:
     • Focus on left heart congestion and ventriculo-arterial uncoupling: Including extensive discussion on medical and surgical left heart unloading strategies
     • Other: Differential oxygenation, Limb ischemia
   • VA-ECMO versus other short term circulatory support devices (Impella, IABP, …)
   • Weaning from VA-ECMO support (including echocardiography assessment)
7. ECMO for refractory cardiac arrest (ECPR):
   •  Evidence
   • Indications and contra-indications
   • Postresuscitation care and neuro prognostification on ECMO
   • How to organize an ECPR program ?
8. Varia: “Capita Selecta” and “Short Topics”:
   • Procedures on ECMO
   • Drug pharmacokinetics during ECMO support
   • Intra and inter hospital Transportation on ECMO
   • Awake ECMO: Potential benefits and pitfalls (physiotherapy, …)
   • Organisation of an ECMO program: Centralization and regionalization of ECMO resources.

A total of 5 fellowships will be conducted in centres around Europe, giving fellows the opportunity to experience ECLS/ECMO in real-life settings and learn directly from experts. Fellowship-related costs (accommodation and travel) up to 1000 EUR/fellow will be reimbursed by ESICM.

Eligibility for fellowships:

• Must be a member of the ESICM (so join us now if not already a member!)
• Must attend at least 2 levels of the ECLS/ECMO pathway within 1 year
• Fellowships will be awarded on basis of attendance at the course and highest performance in the post-course evaluation.

Fellowship center and mentor:

• Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom – Nicholas BARRETT and the local team (February 24-28, 2025)
  

Note! Priority will be given to those participants who haven’t benefitted from a fellowship on this topic before.

• Senior physicians involved or interested in ECMO
• Perfusionists and Nurses involved in ECMO or interested in respiratory vs circulatory support

IMPORTANT! A total of 10 places will be offered for FREE to participants coming from Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC), as per the World Bank classification. If you are interested to apply for an LMIC place, send us your letter of interest and CV to education@esicm.org. Applicants from LMIC may be selected for a maximum of 3 ESICM eCourses for FREE every year. Applicants who have participated in 1 eCourse as a free LMIC applicant need to have an active ESICM membership for the current year before applying again. Deadline for LMIC applications: June 12, 2023. 

The Advanced Course (integration and simulation) in ECLS/ECMO, Virtual, Belgium 11/06/2024 – 12/06/2024 , has been accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®) with 12.5 European CME credits (ECMEC®s). Each medical specialist should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

Through an agreement between the Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes and the American Medical Association, physicians may convert EACCME® credits to an equivalent number of AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Information on the process to convert EACCME® credit to AMA credit can be found at https://edhub.ama-assn.org/pages/applications.

Live educational activities, occurring outside of Canada, recognised by the UEMS-EACCME® for ECMEC®s are deemed to be Accredited Group Learning Activities (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.