Venovenous extracorporeal life support circuit exchange: Tips and pitfalls.

Extracorporeal life support is a well-known therapy for acute respiratory failure. Its use has increased exponentially in recent years, even more since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Patients with COVID-19 may need long-term extracorporeal life support runs. They also suffer coagulation derangements that cause a prothrombotic state. Both situations may increase the need for exchanges of extracorporeal life support circuits. Extracorporeal life support circuit exchange should be performed as quickly and as safely as possible because patients may be completely dependent on it.