Veno-venous ECMO (VV ECMO)

Veno-venous ECMO (VV ECMO) is a life-support technology used for patients with severe lung failure. It involves extracting blood from a vein, passing it through a machine that adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide, and then returning the blood back into a vein. This process allows the lungs to rest and heal while ensuring the body receives oxygen-rich blood. VV ECMO is typically used when the lungs cannot adequately oxygenate the blood on their own, such as in severe pneumonia or ARDS. It is a complex, specialized therapy that requires careful management by a multidisciplinary team.