Extracorporeal support for donation after cardiac death: a new avatar of ECMO

Abstract

The role of extracorporeal support in form of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been well established in cases of acute cardiopulmonary failure. The initial enthusiasm dampened, and there was no new development in this field before the recent H1N1 pandemic. Encouraging results in H1N1 patients saw a revised interest in use of ECMO. Gradually, the scope of ECMO widened and is now being used for various indications both in pediatric and adult patients. One of the newly added roles of ECMO is to provide interval support for organ retrieval in cases of donation after cardiac death (DCD). In this article, we will try to elaborate the concept and outcomes of the use of ECMO in donation after cardiac death.

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