Editing Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (section)

{{Short description|Technique of providing both cardiac and respiratory support}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox medical intervention 
|  Name        = Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation 
|  synonyms    = Extracorporeal life support (ECLS)
|  Image       = MeInEcmo.jpg 
|  Caption     = Conscious patient in ECMO using a computer
|  ICD10       = 5A15223 
|  ICD9        = {{ICD9proc|39.65}} 
|  MeshID      = D015199 
|  MedlinePlus = 007234 
|  OPS301      = 
|  OtherCode   =
|  HCPCSlevel2 = 36822 
}}
'''Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation''' ('''ECMO''') is a form of [[extracorporeal life support]], providing prolonged cardiac and [[respiratory system|respiratory]] support to people whose [[human heart|heart]] and [[human lung|lung]]s are unable to provide an adequate amount of oxygen, gas exchange or blood supply ([[perfusion]]) to sustain life. The technology for ECMO is largely derived from [[cardiopulmonary bypass]], which provides shorter-term support with arrested native circulation.  The device used is a [[membrane oxygenator]], also known as an artificial lung.

ECMO works by temporarily drawing blood from the body to allow artificial oxygenation of the [[red blood cell]]s and removal of carbon dioxide. Generally, it is used either post-cardiopulmonary bypass or in late-stage treatment of a person with profound heart and/or lung failure, although it is now seeing use as a treatment for cardiac arrest in certain centers, allowing treatment of the underlying cause of arrest while circulation and oxygenation are supported. ECMO is also used to support patients with the acute viral [[pneumonia]] associated with [[COVID-19]] in cases where [[artificial ventilation]] alone is not sufficient to sustain blood oxygenation levels.
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