• Alexander M Bernhardt, Benedikt Schrage, Ines Schroeder, Georg Trummer, Dirk Westermann, and Hermann Reichenspurner.
• Department for Cardiovascular Surgery, University Heart & Vascular Center Hamburg; Department of Cardiology, University Heart & Vascular Center Hamburg; Department of Anaesthesiology, LMU Hospital Munich; Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg.
• Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2022 Apr 1; 119 (13): 235244235-244.

BackgroundVeno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) and veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO), also known as extracorporeal life support (ECLS), can both be used to treat patients with acute pulmonary or cardiovascular failure.MethodsThis review is based on publications retrieved by a selective search in PubMed on the topics of cardiogenic shock and acute pulmonary failure, also known as the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), as well as on ECMO. Attention was given chiefly to randomized, controlled trials and guidelines.ResultsInitial findings from prospective, randomized trials of VV-ECMO are now available. Trials of ECLS therapy are now in progress or planned. A meta-analysis of two randomized, controlled trials of VV-ECMO for ARDS revealed more frequent survival 90 days after randomization among patients treated with VV-ECMO, compared to the control groups (36% vs. 48%; RR = 0.75 [95% confidence interval 0.6; 0.94]). For selected patients, after evaluation of the benefit-risk profile, VV-ECMO is a good treatment method for severe pulmonary failure, and ECLS for cardiogenic shock and resuscitation. The goal is to secure the circulation so that native heart function can be stabilized in the patient's further course or a permanent left-heart support system can be implanted, or else to support lung function until recovery.ConclusionECMO is a valid option in selected patients when conservative treatment has failed.

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