ECMO: Pump of Life, Light
of Hope I believe that everyone has heard of the name of ECMO, and think that it is probably a very powerful thing, which will only be used when people are seriously ill.
The English name of ECMO is Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, abbreviated as ECMO.
So what technology is ECMO? Under what circumstances will the doctor use it and under what circumstances can it not be used? How effective is it? Today we will take you to understand.
As we all know, the heart and lungs are two very important organs of our human body. Only when the heart beats, can various organs of the body have sufficient blood supply and continuous nutrients. The lungs bring oxygen to our body through breathing. If these two organs go on strike, then man cannot become a living individual. So if the heart and lungs go on strike for various reasons, is it possible for us to recover it?
The answer is yes! ECMO is such a technology, which is an advanced extracorporeal life support system that temporarily replaces the heart and (or) lung function after conventional treatment fails. Through several days or weeks of assistance, the heart and (or) lung rest in order to achieve organ function recovery and provide support and protection for the treatment of the original morbidity.
How
ECMO works The working principle of ECMO is to drain venous blood from the body to the outside of the body, oxygenate and discharge carbon dioxide through a membrane oxygenator, and then inject blood into the body with a centrifugal pump to undertake the functions of gas exchange and blood circulation. According to the different ways of blood transfusion, there are usually two types of ECMO: VA-ECMO, which has both circulatory and respiratory functions, is derived from the venous system for arterial transfusion; VV-ECMO, which has the function of respiratory support, is derived from the venous system for venous transfusion.
In short, ECMO is to take venous blood out of the body, let it combine with oxygen, and then pump it back into the body. Its main application principle is to maintain the oxygenation and blood supply of human organs and tissues as part of cardiopulmonary replacement auxiliary support.
When to use ECMO technology
ECMO is so powerful, so under what circumstances will doctors advise patients to use it?
ECMO has a wide range of applications, including but not limited to the following:
Cardiopulmonary failure: When the patient’s cardiopulmonary function has serious problems (such as extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, fulminant myocarditis, myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock, etc.), ECMO can be used as a temporary alternative treatment to gain more treatment time for the patient. By using ECMO, the medical team can effectively help patients through the crisis of cardiopulmonary failure and buy time for further treatment.
Severe lung infection: If the patient has severe lung infection, such as pneumonia, lung abscess, etc., ECMO can help the patient through the infection period and provide support for the recovery of lung function. In the case of severe pulmonary infection, ECMO can reduce the burden on the lungs and promote the control of infection and the recovery of lung function.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome: ECMO can be used to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome and provide support for the recovery of pulmonary function in patients. Acute respiratory distress syndrome is an emergency, the timely application of ECMO can avoid the occurrence of respiratory failure, and strive for more treatment opportunities for patients.
Cardiac surgery: Before or after cardiac surgery, ECMO can be used as a supportive treatment to support the recovery of cardiopulmonary function of patients. In cardiac surgery, ECMO can assist the recovery after cardiac surgery, reduce the burden of the heart, and promote the recovery of cardiac function.
However, it is not recommended when the overall prognosis is poor or when the survival rate is high but the remaining disability is unacceptable.
In conclusion, ECMO is a very useful medical emergency device, which can provide effective supportive treatment for patients with cardiopulmonary problems. However, the use of ECMO needs to be evaluated and treated according to the specific situation of the patient. If problems related to cardiopulmonary function are encountered, the doctor will evaluate and recommend treatment according to the specific situation of the patient.
