Purpose: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use may predispose patients to developing conditions that require either consultation with a general surgeon or a general surgical procedure. We aimed to evaluate the incidence and outcomes of adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients who underwent general surgical procedure.

Methods: This was a single institution retrospective study of adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients from 2012 to 2015. Outcomes were compared between patients who underwent general surgical procedure with those that did not.

Results: Of the 115 patients, 54 (46.9%) required a general surgeon while 42 (36.5%) required a general surgical procedure. No significant differences were observed in mortality (35.7% vs. 46.6%; p = 0.256) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-related complications (45.7% vs. 32.5%; p = 0.175). Patients with general surgical procedure had longer extracorporeal membrane oxygenation duration (13 vs. 5 days; p < 0.0001), longer length of stay (36 vs. 15 days; p = 0.0005), more wound infections (19.05% vs. 5.5%; p = 0.029), more urinary tract infections (38.1% vs. 10.96%; p = 0.0006), and more pulmonary emboli (19.05% vs. 5.48%; p = 0.029). In general surgical procedure patients, no difference in bleeding complications was observed regardless of anti-coagulation status (29.4% vs. 16%; p = 0.44).

Conclusion: Common general surgical procedures are safe and feasible in adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients. Duration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was longer for patients requiring general surgical procedure. Despite the common use of anticoagulants, there was no increase in bleeding events in general surgical procedure patients.