Extracorporeal Carbon Dioxide Removal for Acute Respiratory Failure

Abstract

Acute respiratory failure is a common dilemma faced by critical care team. It occurs as a results of the inability of respiratory system to properly transfer oxygen (O2) from the atmosphere to the blood or remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the blood. Hypoxic respiratory failure is defined by a partial pressure of arterial O2 (PaO2) that is less than 60 mm Hg on room air at sea level, and hypercapnic respiratory failure occurs when the partial pressure of CO2 (PaCO2) is greater than 50 mmHg (with a concomitant respiratory acidosis) under the same conditions. Respiratory failure occurs mainly either due to lung failure resulting in hypoxaemia respiratory failure or pump failure resulting in alveolar hypoventilation and hypercapnia respiratory failure. Diagnostic work-up in the form of A rterial blood gas, chest x-ray, computed tomography and others should done for differantion between most common causes of respiratory failure e.g: Acute respiratory distress syndrome, Pneumonia, Acute exacerbation of COPD, status asthmatica and others. The standard practice to support ventilation is by Non invasive mechanical ventilation and Mechanical ventilation which show many complications which need for development of new methods to treat respiratory failure. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an artificial means of maintaining adequate oxygenation and carbon dioxide elimination to enable injured lungs to recover from underlying disease. Technological advances have made ECMO devices smaller, less invasive, and easier to use.