History of ECMO

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a technology that continues to grow in its utility. Starting in the early 1900s with the emphasis being to expand the role of cardiac surgery and culminating in the recent worldwide pandemic where it was used to support critically ill patients, there has been ongoing investigation and advancement. The story of ECMO is that of human ingenuity upon recognizing a physiologic problem and then banding together to share information and enthusiasm while searching for a solution.