Extracorporeal life support in new millennium: Forging ahead or fading out?

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a modified form of cardiopulmon ary bypass, has been used in almost 20,000 patients with cardiorespiratory failure. It provides tem porary life support and has a survival rate of 70% . This article will focus on the current state of the art in pediatric ECMO f or respiratory failure. Patient selection criteria, modes of ECMO support, patient management techniques, complications, and outcome will be presented . The future of ECMO in relation to current treatment of respiratory failure as well as its use in alternative patient populations will be outlined.