Hu R, Broad J, Osawa E, et al. - In this inquiry performed at an Australian non-cardiac transplant tertiary centre, researchers assessed 30-day results following patients with post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock (PCCS) managed with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). They also explored risk factors for non-survival in this population. They analyzed all adults managed with VA-ECMO for PCCS between August 2001 and September 2016, via a retrospective study. They found 64 patients out of 5,502 open-heart surgery cases of which 3 patients did not satisfy inclusion criteria. Findings revealed acceptable survival rates related to VA-ECMO. However, VA-ECMO was associated with significant morbidity. The likely usefulness of nadir lactate levels in the first 24 and 48 hours post-VA-ECMO initiation was suggested for early survival prediction.