What is ecmo used for

This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview In extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ECMO , blood is pumped outside of your body to a heart-lung machine that removes carbon dioxide and sends oxygen-filled blood back to tissues in the body. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references AskMayoExpert. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ECMO. Mayo Clinic; Office of Patient Education. Your child and ECMO.

Kalvelage EL expert opinion. Mayo Clinic. April 2, Bohman JK expert opinion. April 9, Nasr DM, et al. Neurologic complications of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Journal of Clinical Neurology. Since you will be sedated and have a breathing tube in place, supplemental nutrition will be provided either intravenously or though a nasal-gastric tube. Nutrition is delivered either intravenously or though a nasal-gastric tube. While on ECMO, you may be given certain medications including: heparin to prevent blood clots; antibiotics to prevent infections; sedatives to minimize movement and improve sleep; diuretics to help the kidney get rid of fluids; electrolytes to maintain the proper balance of salts and sugars; and blood products to replace blood loss.

Discontinuing ECMO requires a surgical procedure to remove the tubes. Multiple tests are usually done prior to the discontinuation of ECMO therapy to confirm that your heart and lungs are ready. Once the ECMO cannulas are removed, the vessels will need to be repaired.

This can be done either at the bedside or in the operating room. The doctor will use small stitches to close the spot where the tubes were placed. You will be asleep and monitored for this process.

Even though you are off the ECMO, you may still need to be on a ventilator. UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.

Treatments A-Z. Because people who are recommended for ECMO therapy are very sick, they are already at high risk of complications, including death.

ECMO therapy itself comes with its own set of risks including:. At Yale Medicine, our neonatal, pediatric, and adult critical care specialists are trained in the use of ECMO and other aspects of intensive care. Our physicians and nurses are up to date on current practices and research about the use of ECMO. Skip to Main Content. Print Share Download. What is ECMO? How does ECMO work? What conditions is ECMO used to treat? While there is no fixed list of conditions for which ECMO is used, doctors may recommend its use in the following situations: Respiratory failure when the lungs fail to maintain adequate oxygen levels or remove enough carbon dioxide from the blood Heart transplantation Lung transplantation Cardiac arrest when the heart fails to pump blood effectively Cardiogenic shock when the ventricles of the heart do not function properly, resulting in insufficient blood flow Pulmonary embolism when an artery in the lungs is blocked Birth defects of the heart Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, ARDS a type of respiratory failure that prevents adequate oxygen from getting to the lungs and blood.

What are the risks associated with ECMO? ECMO therapy requires the use of anticoagulants, medications that thin the blood and prevent the formation of clots to keep the blood flowing through the body and ECMO machine. But these medications also increase the likelihood of excess bleeding. As a result, hemorrhaging may occur in a number of places, including the lungs, stomach, mouth, nose, and brain. Doctors watch for signs of bleeding; medication or surgery may be necessary to stop it.

Kidney Failure : In some cases, patients on ECMO do not circulate enough blood to their kidneys, resulting in kidney failure and the potential need for dialysis, a machine that does some of the work normally done by kidneys. Kidney function usually returns after the patient is removed from the ECMO machine, though sometimes the kidneys do not recover, and the patient will require lifelong dialysis treatment.