In 2011 the Department of Health commissioned five hospitals in England to provide extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to adults with severe respiratory failure. This review will explain the principles underlying ECMO, describe the circuitry used and discuss the care of a patient receiving support. We hope that it will be of use should a patient at your hospital be considered a candidate for ECMO.
Australia and New Zealand Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Influenza Investigators2009Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for 2009 influenza A(H1N1) acute respiratory distress syndromeJournal of the American Medical Association302(17) 1888–95
2.
CombesA., PellegrinoV.2011Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for 2009 influenza A(H1N1) associated acute respiratory distress syndromeSeminars in Respiratory Critical Care Medicine32(2) 188–94
3.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence2011Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe acute respiratory failure in adults Guideline number IPG391 London, NICE Available from www.nice.org.uk [Accessed March 2014]
4.
NoahM.A., PeekG.J., FinneyS.J.2011Referral to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation center and mortality among patients with severe 2009 influenza A(H1N1)Journal of the American Medical Association306(15) 1659–68
5.
PeekG.J., ElbourneD., MugfordM.2010Randomised controlled trial and parallel economic evaluation of conventional ventilatory support versus extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe adult respiratory failure (CESAR)Health Technology Assessments14(35) 1–46
6.
UK Collaborative ECMO Trial Group1996UK collaborative randomised trial of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenationLancet348(9020) 75–82
7.
ZapolW.M., SniderM.T., HillJ.D.1979Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in severe acute respiratory failure. A randomised prospective studyJournal of the American Medical Association242(20) 2193–6
