The development of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) technology allows a new approach for the intensive care management of acute cardiac and/or respiratory failure in adult patients who are not responsive to conventional treatment (National Center for Biotechnology Info.)

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for Severe Acute Respiratory failure (CESAR) trial demonstrated significantly increased survival without disability at 6 months in patients who were randomly assigned to care in an ECMO center in a single United Kingdom center compared to conventional management in non-ECMO centers (63% vs. 47%). (ScienceDirect)

The current results add not only to the growing evidence of the benefit of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for septic cardiomyopathy but also indicate improved hospital survival in distributive septic shock. (Journals)