Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for ards: Optimization of lung protective ventilation

Abstract

The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the management of ARDS has grown considerably in the past decade, largely as a consequence of improvements in extracorporeal technology and management techniques. Recently published data has helped clarify the use of ECMO in ARDS, and its role in optimizing lung-protective ventilation and minimizing ventilator-induced lung injury has the potential to have a substantial impact on ARDS management and outcomes. In the future, novel extracorporeal management strategies may lead to a new paradigm in our approach to patients with ARDS. Key words: ARDS; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO); respiratory failure; extracorporeal life support. [Respir Care 2018;63(9):1180–1188. © 2018 Daedalus Enterprises].