How I Wean Patients From Veno-venous Extra-corporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Identifying patients who are ready for weaning and liberation from veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is challenging in clinical practice. Compared to the several trials addressing the safety and efficacy of ECMO in severe ARDS, the body of literature regarding ECMO weaning is remarkably scarce. Therefore, this essential component of the management of patients on ECMO is highly variable and often lacks of a systematic approach, analogously to the weaning protocols and spontaneous breathing trials used for liberation from mechanical ventilation.