title: [Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for critically ill adults].
abstract: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy (ECMO) is an artificial life support for severe respiratory and/or cardiac failure, and refractory cardiac arrest. It consists of a hollow-fiber membrane that oxygenates the blood and removes carbon dioxide and a centrifugal pump that drain blood from central venous circulation, pump through membrane, and return to the patients. Veno-venous ECMO provides gas change in hemodynamically stable patients with respiratory failure. Veno-arterial ECMO offers hemodynamic support in addition to gas change for cardiac failure or refractory cardiac arrest. We describe the physiological principles and the clinical evidence supporting the use of ECMO in critically ill adult patients.
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gando
mesh_terms: D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D016638:Critical Illness; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / Q000379:methods; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy