Who We Treat

Examples of scenarios where ECMO may benefit patients with respiratory conditions include the following:

• ECMO may be used as a salvage therapy to rescue a patient with life-threatening acute respiratory failure
• ECMO may also be used in patients with ARDS who would benefit from lung-protective ventilation strategies but who are unable to tolerate such strategies.
• ECMO is used in select patients with severe hypercarbic respiratory failure (levels of carbon dioxide in the blood that are too high).

Examples of scenarios where ECMO may benefit patients with cardiac conditions include the following:

• ECMO may be used for patients who experience cardiogenic shock from acute MI or patients with chronic heart failure who experience acute decompensation.
• Bridge to recovery for patients who have post-cardiotomy shock.