The
concept of taking blood out of the body, oxygenating it, removing
the CO2, and then putting back in, fascinates me. A few years ago I
admittedly knew very little about extracorporeal membrane
oxygenation (ECMO) and its indications. I remember going to a class
on ECMO at Life Link III and having questions like:
Are
we actually pumping blood backward through the body?
What
happens to the blood in the heart when using ECMO in cardiac arrest
(ECPR)?
What
kind of vent settings should I use?
I am
by no means an expert on ECMO, in fact, I have only been on a
handful of ECMO transports, but the concept fascinates me and I
thought a blog breaking down a few concepts of ECMO physiology
would be beneficial.