ECMO

Intervention of interest: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a form of life support that provides cardiopulmonary assistance outside the body. ECMO may be used to support lung function for severe respiratory failure or heart function for severe cardiac failure. An ECMO circuit can be set up as veno-venous (VV) or veno-arterial (VA). VV-ECMO provides external gas exchange, bypassing the lungs and protecting them from high tidal volumes of ventilation that would otherwise be needed to oxygenate and ventilate the patient. VV-ECMO is indicated for patients with potentially reversible respiratory failure, including those with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), primary graft dysfunction following lung transplant, and trauma to the lungs.

Date of Review: February 2016

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