The amount of time someone is on ECMO varies from a few days to a few weeks. Patients are monitored and assessed continuously, with the aim of taking them off ECMO as soon as it is safe to do so.
Patients receiving ECMO are very unwell and have not responded to treatments given. It is considered a last resort option for patients with no other alternatives who are otherwise likely to die from their illness.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask the ICU staff looking after your loved one.
As for most medical treatments, there are also a number of risks associated with ECMO. The most common risks are outlined below.
The most common risk with ECMO is bleeding, as medication is required to ‘thin’ out the blood to prevent clots from forming in the ECMO machine or circuit. These clots may block the circuit, stopping it from working. Bleeding can either be minor, as evidenced by oozing of blood around where the cannula enters the body, or major, resulting in a stroke or significant blood loss elsewhere in the body. Patients are monitored closely for any signs of bleeding and the dose of the blood-thinning medication is adjusted frequently. It is not unusual for patients to require transfusions of blood or other products prior, during and after ECMO treatment.
