ECMO-Extracorporeal Life Support in Adults

Book excerpt: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been in clinical use for some 40 years, but it is only in the past decade that its application in the treatment of life-threatening circulatory and respiratory failure has truly flourished. This book presents a comprehensive overview of both pathophysiological and practical aspects of circulatory and respiratory extracorporeal support. The basics of ECMO, including its history, the “ECMO team”, cannulation, materials, and blood-surface interactions, are first discussed. The various indications for and particular characteristics of circulatory and respiratory extracorporeal life support are then described in detail in the main part of the book. Patient care during ECMO and monitoring of the ECMO patient are also carefully covered, with explanation of the management of technical and clinical complications and transport-related problems. Further topics include long-term therapy options beyond ECMO, such as ventricular assist devices and transplants, outcome, the new frontiers of ECMO for organ procurement and future challenges. The authors are well-known experts in the field whose authoritative contributions and attention to practical aspects will be invaluable for novices and experienced practitioners alike.