Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): a team approach in critical care and life-support research.

ECMO may be used clinically in selected cases to provide life support when all other modes of therapy have been exhausted. Survival of moribund patients has been demonstrated. Results might be improved if the severity of the disease is recognized and defined early in the clinical course to prevent the development of irreversible complications. ECMO requires a large, fully trained team to interface with the attending physicians and nursing staff in providing complete life support. The ECMO team provides continued evaluation of the status and treatment of the patient, detection of complications, and correction of any minor or major emergency. It also conducts laboratory and clinical research programs in pulmonary insufficiency as an adjunct to clinical life-support research.