Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a machine similar to the heart-lung bypass machine used in open-heart surgery. It oxygenates the patient's blood outside the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest. When a patient is connected to an ECMO, blood flows through tubing to an artificial lung in the machine that adds oxygen and takes out carbon dioxide. This is then pumped back into the body.
ECMO is used:
Being placed on ECMO requires a surgical procedure and anaesthesiologists but it is usually done in the patient’s room. The surgeon inserts the ECMO catheters into either an artery or a vein. While on ECMO, the patient will be monitored by specially trained cardiac anaesthesiologists. While on ECMO, patients may be given certain medications including heparin to prevent blood clots, antibiotics to prevent infections, sedatives to minimise movement, electrolytes to maintain the homeostasis and blood products to replace blood loss. To discontinue ECMO requires a surgical procedure.