Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation for severe respiratory failure in the UK

Adam Czapran; Matthew Steel; Nicholas A Barrett

doi:10.1177/1751143719870082

Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation for severe respiratory failure in the UK

J Intensive Care Soc. 2020 Aug;21(3):247-255. doi: 10.1177/1751143719870082. Epub 2019 Sep 5.

Authors

Adam Czapran¹, Matthew Steel¹, Nicholas A Barrett^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
² King's College London, London, UK.
³ King's Health Partners, London, UK.

Abstract

An overview of the current system for referrals and management of severe respiratory failure in the United Kingdom. We outline the history of severe respiratory failure centres, the process of retrieving a patient for veno-venous extra corporeal membrane oxygenation and highlight some common difficulties and pitfalls when referring these critically unwell patients.

Keywords: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; UK; referral; retrieval; severe respiratory failure.