The American journal of emergency medicine
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Use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in severe traumatic lung injury with respiratory failure.
The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in managing acute respiratory distress syndrome had been accepted. Severe lung injury with respiratory failure is often encountered in trauma patients. We report our experience with the use of ECMO in severe traumatic lung injury. ⋯ The use of ECMO may offer an additional treatment modality in severe traumatic lung injury with respiratory failure that is unresponsive to optimal conventional ventilator support. Timely ECMO intervention is of value.