After risk assessment, veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been achieved in a superobese adult patient as a bridge to recovery of respiratory failure, despite the weight-related difficulties. Early v-v ECMO implantation could be considered to support and to conduct weaning both from sedation and from invasive mechanical ventilation, with the goal to perform physiokinesitherapy during awake ECMO.
Keywords: Acute distress respiratory syndrome; acute respiratory failure; awake extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; obesity.