How does ECMO work?

How does ECMO work?

• A. Blood pumped out of body
• B. Oxygenated in artificial lung
• C. Pumped back into body
• D. Blood is pumped out of the body, oxygenated in an artificial lung, then returned

Answer: (D)

ECMO works by taking blood from the body, running it through an external circuit that includes an artificial lung (oxygenator) where gas exchange occurs, and then returning the oxygenated blood back into the circulation. The pump maintains flow through the circuit, and the oxygenator removes carbon dioxide while adding oxygen, supporting either the lungs, the heart, or both depending on the circuit configuration. Because ECMO is about both removing blood from the body, oxygenating it outside, and returning it, the full description is that blood is pumped out, oxygenated in an artificial lung, then returned. The other statements are incomplete because they describe only part of the process (pumping out, or oxygenation alone, or returning blood without mentioning external oxygenation).

ECMO works by taking blood from the body, running it through an external circuit that includes an artificial lung (oxygenator) where gas exchange occurs, and then returning the oxygenated blood back into the circulation. The pump maintains flow through the circuit, and the oxygenator removes carbon dioxide while adding oxygen, supporting either the lungs, the heart, or both depending on the circuit configuration. Because ECMO is about both removing blood from the body, oxygenating it outside, and returning it, the full description is that blood is pumped out, oxygenated in an artificial lung, then returned. The other statements are incomplete because they describe only part of the process (pumping out, or oxygenation alone, or returning blood without mentioning external oxygenation).