ECMO Systems

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used as a hemodymanic support system to increase the flow of blood in the body to allow the heart and lungs to rest in critically ill patients. It is similar to a heart-lung by-pass machine used in open-heart surgery. It pumps and oxygenates a patient's blood outside the body with blood flowing through tubing to an artificial lung in to add oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. The blood is then the blood is warmed to body temperature and pumped back into the patient’s body. VA ECMO is connected to both a vein and an artery when there are problems with the heart and lungs. VV ECMO is connected to one or more veins, usually near the heart, and is used when the problem in the lungs.