Concepts from paediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for adult intensivists

Over the last 5 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in adult patients with severe respiratory or cardiac failure. This contrasts to the use of the technology in neonatal and paediatric intensive care units, where it has been regarded as a standard of care for a number of conditions for over 25 years. Many innovations in ECMO circuitry or clinical management evolve first in one particular discipline and it may be helpful for individual clinicians to keep abreast of developments in ECMO across the entire age range, from neonatology to older adults. This review addresses nine concepts in ECMO that are better studied or established in paediatric medicine and considers their application in adult patients.