Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

In the last two decades, two major developments in extracorporeal life support have occurred: technology has progressed to the point where injured lungs can be supported for several days to weeks in newborns, children, and adults; and specific patient populations with potentially reversible respiratory failure have been identified (Bartlett and Gazzaniga, 1978; Bartlett, 1990). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation should be considered in the patient with severe respiratory failure unresponsive to optimal management if the patient is a newborn infant of greater than 34 weeks' gestational age, or a child or adult with treatable and reversible pulmonary disease of less than seven days' duration. However, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation should not be considered if the patient has extensive pulmonary fibrosis or other incurable disease, necrotizing pneumonitis, or has been treated with a • Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may be used to treat severe respiratory failure that is unresponsive to optimal conventional management, providing the patient is a newborn infant of more than 34 weeks' gestation, or an adult or child with treatable or reversible pulmonary disease of less than seven days' duration.