ABSTRACT

Sepsis and sepsis related organdysfunctions are leading causes of mortality and morbidity in intensive care units. In severe sepsis, cardiovascular system failure including myocardial dysfunction/ vasoplegia and respiratory failure along with trending down of PaO₂/FiO₂ratio are frequently present together. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is being used more often in intensive care to maintain oxygenation in cases of acute or reversible lung injury/myocardial dysfunction which is recalcitrant to traditional therapy. Since application of ECMO provides us with a way to mitigate or avoid the traumatic effects of mechanical ventilation, it is one of the most debated issues in the relevant literature.

Keywords: Sepsis, septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), extracorporeal life support (ELS), myocardial depression