Results of Extracorporeal Respiratory Support in the Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Major technological improvements in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machines and the positive results of the CESAR trial have reignited the interest for veno-venous (VV) -ECMO in patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and persistent hypoxemia or hypercarbia on conventional mechanical ventilation. The technique has also been successfully used for the most severe ARDS cases associated with the recent Influenza A(H1N1) pandemic. However, since the CESAR study was criticized for methodological limitations and because results of non-randomized case-series of ECMO are prone to selection biases, indications for VV-ECMO use remain highly controversial. Before widespread diffusion of VV-ECMO for severe ARDS, new trials should test the efficacy of early initiation of the technique with tight control of mechanical ventilation in the control group, initiation of ECMO prior to transportation to ECMO centers, and the use of ECMO in every patient randomly assigned to receive it.