ECMO - What Are the Risks?

In terms of what we're trying to achieve, I think a lot of critical care amounts to supporting the patient while avoiding complications and giving time for healing. And I think the same concept applies here when it comes to the ventilator. You can put the patient on vent settings that are much less injurious and reduce the risk of ventilator induced lung injury. But like everything in medicine, there's sometimes things that it's helpful for, but we also have to be cognizant of some of the downsides as well.