Please note: There are no absolute contraindications that are agreed upon except end-stage respiratory failure when lung transplantation will not be considered; exclusion used in the EOLIA trial can be taken as a conservative approach to ECMO contraindications.
Relative contraindications^ include:
  • Advanced age
  • Advanced, untreatable malignancy
  • Irreversible and incapacitating central nervous system pathology
  • Immunosuppression
  • Uncontrolled bleeding
  • Contraindications to anticoagulation
  • Severe thrombocytopenia
  • Severe coagulopathy
  • Receipt of invasive mechanical ventilation >7 days, especially with concomitant exposure to excessively high airway pressures or FiO2
  • Limited vascular access
^Relative contraindications are clinical characteristics that, if present, may increase the risk of patient harm with ECMO, or increase mortality. Patient selection should be based on whether ECMO provides a benefit to the patient and all “relative contraindications” should be considered within each individual clinical circumstance.

Are there any contraindications?