Application of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Children with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

The children with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) usually require ventilatory support treatment. At present, lung protective ventilation strategy is recommended for the treatment of ARDS. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can improve oxygenation and remove carbon dioxide by extracorporeal circuit, and can partially or completely take over cardiopulmonary function. ECMO support showed many advantages in treating severe ARDS, such as reducing ventilator-induced lung injury and correcting hypoxemia. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the use of ECMO for ARDS in children. This paper reviews the applications of ECMO for the treatment of ARDS in children.