Ventilation during extracorporeal gas exchange in acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Abstract

Accumulating evidence ascribes the benefit of extracorporeal gas exchange, at least in most severe cases, to the provision of a lung healing environment through the mitigation of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) risk. In spite of pretty homogeneous criteria for extracorporeal gas exchange application (according to the degree of hypoxemia/hypercapnia), ventilatory management during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)/carbon dioxide removal (ECCO2R) varies across centers. Here we summarize the recent evidence regarding the management of mechanical ventilation during extracorporeal gas exchange for respiratory support.