Safety of Delayed Decannulation of Venoarterial Cannulas in Patients with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Retrospective study of 19 CDH patients demonstrates that delayed decannulation after venoarterial ECLS—leaving heparinized cannulas in place for median 26 hours—is safe with minimal complications. Only one patient (5%) required re-initiation during observation period, with no major bleeding or embolic events, supporting this strategy for high-risk patients.