Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

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Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), pronounced as /ɛkstrəkɔːrpɔːrɪəl mɛmˈbreɪn ɒksɪdʒɪˈneɪʃən/, is a life-supporting intervention technique that provides both cardiac and respiratory assistance to patients whose heart and lungs are unable to provide an adequate amount of gas exchange to sustain life.

Etymology

The term Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation is derived from the Latin extra meaning "outside", corpus meaning "body", and membrana meaning "membrane", and the English term "oxygenation" referring to the process of adding oxygen to a substance.

Procedure

The ECMO procedure involves circulating blood outside the body through a machine that removes carbon dioxide and adds oxygen, before returning it to the body. This allows the heart and lungs to rest and recover while the machine does the work of oxygenating the blood.

Types of ECMO

There are two main types of ECMO: veno-arterial (VA) and veno-venous (VV). In VA ECMO, blood is drained from the right atrium or vena cava, oxygenated, and returned to the aorta. In VV ECMO, blood is drained from the right atrium or vena cava, oxygenated, and returned to the right atrium or pulmonary artery.

Indications

ECMO is used in patients with severe and potentially reversible respiratory or cardiac failure, or both, that is unresponsive to conventional management. This includes conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), cardiogenic shock, and post-cardiotomy shock.

Risks and Complications

Potential risks and complications of ECMO include bleeding, infection, organ damage due to low blood flow, and blood clots.

Related Terms

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