Blood Gas Interpretation Practice Exam

Reading the Gas at the Pump 25 Blood Gas Interpretation Scenarios for VV and VA ECMO

The hardest blood gas to read isn't the complicated one. It's the one where the numbers look acceptable — but the SvO₂ is falling, the lactate is trending up, and you can't tell if it's the patient or the circuit.

This test teaches the dual-lens framework every ECMO specialist needs: what the gas tells you about the patient and what it tells you about the circuit — simultaneously.

What's included: — 25 clinical scenarios with actual blood gas panels — pH, PaO₂, PaCO₂, HCO₃, BE, SvO₂, lactate, pre and post-membrane values — Real circuit context for every question — flow rate, sweep gas setting, FdO₂, TMPG, cannula configuration — Instant scoring with rationale explaining both the patient physiology and the pump management implication — Domain performance breakdown by section — Works in any browser — no app, no login, no internet required after download

Four clinical domains: — VV-ECMO gas interpretation (8 questions) — Recirculation vs oxygenator failure, sweep gas titration, oxygenator trending, sweep gas trials, cardiac output mismatch, weaning readiness — VA-ECMO gas interpretation (8 questions) — Harlequin syndrome with radial vs femoral gas comparison, cardiogenic shock adequacy, LV distension, ECPR post-arrest gas, failed weaning trial, anemia limiting DO₂ — Goal-directed perfusion and oxygen delivery (5 questions) — DO₂i calculation, SvO₂ trending, fever and VO₂, hemoglobin as the primary DO₂ lever, lactate as a delivery signal — Circuit vs patient differentiation (4 questions) — Pre vs post-membrane diagnosis, suction event recognition, plasma leak and thrombosis, fever-driven VO₂ on an intact circuit

Built from the ECMO Program Blueprint 2026 and current ELSO guidelines.

Format: Interactive HTML file — download and open in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge. No app required.

For educational use only. Not a substitute for formal ECMO training, clinical mentorship, or hands-on simulation. Verify all clinical thresholds against your institutional protocol and current ELSO guidelines.

Tom Ferry, BS, CCP — Central Coast Perfusion LLC — centralcoastperfusion.com