Center for Acute Respiratory Failure
Indications for ECMO
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
- Severe hypoxemia with a ratio of PaO2 to FIO2 less than 80 despite the application of high levels of PEEP (typically 15-20 cm of water) and salvage therapies as appropriate, for at least 6 hours in patients with potentially reversible respiratory failure.
- ECMO may be considered after a shorter time interval if the ratio of PaO2 to FIO2 is less than 50.
- Uncompensated hypercapnia (pH less than 7.15) or excessively high plateau airway pressures, despite the best accepted standard of care for management with a ventilator
Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure
- Hypercapnic respiratory failure due to acute exacerbation of asthma, COPD, or other chronic lung disease as a bridge-to-recovery may occasionally be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Lung Transplant Candidates
- Patients already listed for lung transplantation at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center may be placed on ECMO, when necessary, as a bridge-to-transplant.
