Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) can be used in the management of a severely poisoned patient. ECMO does not remove the precipitating toxins but provides cardiorespiratory support to the patient.
Patient selection: severe poisoning, including carbon monoxide, cyanide and multi-toxin poisonings
The most often ECMO mode was venovenous (VV).
Patients usually received additional therapeutic interventions including
(1) hemodialysis or continuous renal replacement therapy.
(2) plasmapheresis (for drugs with high protein binding) or hemofiltration
Indications:
(1) refractory respiratory failure, including aspiration and inhalational injury
(2) cardiogenic shock
(3) multi-organ failure
Contraindications:
(1) advanced age
(2) severe, irreversible brain injury
(3) untreatable metastatic cancer
(4) severe organ dysfunction
(5) high pressure positive pressure ventilation > 7 dayo
