COVID-19

ECMO is a valuable tool in the treatment of COVID-19 patients presenting with acute respiratory insufficiency refractory to other supportive measures. The trends are changing, however, with regards to patient profile, destination therapy and predicted mortality, with younger patients being admitted, higher observed mortality and increasing number of candidates for lung transplantation as a destination therapy. COVID-19 pandemic required that ECMO-patient transport procedures are formally and practically implemented. Done so, we believe these may serve critically ill patients in the future.

Full text (.PDF) available at the Polish Heart Journal Website