what is ecmo

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is an advanced, life-support therapy used when a patient's heart and lungs are too sick or weak to function properly on their own. It is a modified heart-lung bypass machine that temporarily takes over the work of the heart and lungs, providing oxygen to the blood and removing carbon dioxide outside the body. ECMO functions by drawing blood from the patient through tubes inserted into large blood vessels. The blood passes through an artificial lung (a membrane oxygenator) in the ECMO machine, where it gets oxygenated and has carbon dioxide removed. The warmed, oxygen-rich blood is then pumped back into the patient's bloodstream. This allows the heart and lungs time to rest and heal. Unlike traditional heart-lung bypass machines used in surgery, which are for short- term use, ECMO can provide support for hours, days, or even weeks. It is typically used for severe heart and lung conditions when all other treatments have failed but recovery is still possible. ECMO can support patients of all ages, including infants and adults, in critical conditions such as cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, severe infections like COVID-19, and other life- threatening heart or lung problems. However, it is not a treatment for the underlying disease itself but a supportive bridge until the patient's heart and lungs recover or other interventions are possible. In summary, ECMO is a form of extracorporeal life support that replaces the function of the heart and/or lungs outside the body to sustain life temporarily in critical illness.