Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: Is it another slower way to die?

Abdulsalam Saif Ibrahim, Tasleem Raza, Julia Gibson, Ibrahim Fawzy Hassan, Bruce L Davidson

DOI: 10.32677/yjm.v1i2.3638

DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.32677/yjm.v1i2.3638

Publish Date: 28-03-2025

Pages: 56 - 58

Views: 3

Downloads: 9

Author Affiliation:

¹Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine, Division of Medicine Critical Care, Hamad Medical Corporation,

²Registered Nurse, Assistant Director, Department of Quality, Hamad International Training Center, Doha, Qatar,

³Professor, Department of Medicine, Washington State University Floyd College of Medicine, Spokane, Washington, United States

Abstract

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an advanced respiratory support that is being adopted as salvage therapy in acute respiratory failure [1]. The widespread use of this technology came as a result of a large multicenter randomized UK study showing a survival benefit for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients transferred to an ECMO-capable specialist center [2]. Moreover, improvements in clinical management and advances in technology have gradually changed ECMO from a “rescue therapy of last resort” to a type of standardized therapy for severe impairment with clear indications and contraindications in many specialized centers around the globe, including for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.