ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Fundamentals Definitions: • ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) provides prolonged pulmonary and/or circulatory support by removing venous blood, pumping it across an artificial lung (oxygenator or membrane lung) for gas exchange, & returning it to the pt. • VV ECMO: artificially oxygenated Venous blood is returned to the Venous side (right atrium), providing no circulatory support, & adding the artificial lung in series with the native lung • VA ECMO: artificially oxygenated Venous blood is returned to the Arterial side (aorta), providing circulatory support, and adding artificial lung in parallel with the native lung. Indications: • VV: Refractory hypoxemia/mixed respiratorv failure used as a bridge to recovery or transplant • ECCO2R: Refractory hypercapnia similar to VV but with lower flow/smaller sized cannula • VA: Pulmonary & Circulatory Support (VA) - cardiac arrest, overdose, massive PE, cardiogenic shock, etc. Used as a bridge to recovery, transplant, or destination device. by Nick Mark MD @nickmmark #ECMO #ExtraCorporeal #Membrane #Oxygenation #diagnosis #management
