Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe respiratory failure.

The use of extracorporeal technology to accomplish gas exchange with or without cardiac support is based on the premise that "lung rest" facilitates repair and avoids the baso- or volutrauma of mechanical ventilator management. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a modified form of cardiopulmonary bypass, has been shown to decrease mortality of neonatal, pediatric and adult respiratory failure and is capable of total gas exchange. In neonates, over 20,638 patients have been treated with an overall survival of 77% in a population thought to have 78% mortality.