A consideration on clinical indications, complications and problems of ECMO

Abstract

Application criteria as well as the definition of ECMO are not yet established in Japan. A consideration was given on the points, analizing the complications and problems of our 11 ECMO cases. A case with IABP neccessiate us to re-evaluate ECMO not only as a respiratory assist but as a cardiopulmonary assist maneuver also. It was proposed there are exact differences between the way of ECMO for respiratory and circulatory assist, and the most effectiveness of ECMO with IABP was proved for failing heart and lung clinically as well as experimentally.