Tag: Lung failure

According to the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO), ECMO is a highly specialized, advanced therapy used to treat life-threatening heart or lung failure. Due to its complexity, constant monitoring requirements, and use on the most unstable patients, the answer to 'Is ECMO considered critical care?' is a resounding yes.

While both Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and dialysis are forms of extracorporeal life support, they serve fundamentally different purposes, addressing the failure of completely separate organ systems. ECMO supports the heart and lungs, whereas dialysis specifically replaces failing kidney function.

There is no single, specific age limit for ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation); instead, a multidisciplinary team assesses a patient's entire health profile to determine candidacy. This complex decision factors in much more than a number, especially the reversibility of the underlying heart or lung condition.