British societies guideline on the management of emergencies in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Abstract
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is providing an increasingly important therapy for patients in severe heart and lung failure. Care of these patients is complex, with changes in circulation that mean standard advanced life support algorithms may not always be applicable. Through collaboration between all UK ECMO centres and eight national societies, we have assessed the current evidence base and, using a modified Delphi process, produced national guidelines on the management of emergencies on ECMO. The guidelines focus on the recognition of cardiac arrest, team prioritisation, and early ECMO troubleshooting for key life-saving interventions. The guidelines are applicable to all staff and types of ECMO performed in the UK and should be utilised in conjunction with appropriate training. In summary, the joint British societies and ECMO centres working group present the UK guideline for the management of emergencies in ECMO.
Author
Akhtar, Waqas
Brain, Neil
Hernandez Caballero, Clara
Camporota, Luigi
Deakin, Charles D
Elliott, Pauline
Fitzmaurice, Hannah
Flower, Luke
Gaffey, Debra
Garcia, Miguel
Gardner, Roy S
Georgovasilis, Georgios
Govier, Matthew
Jackson, Timothy
Naldrett, Ian
Ostermann, Marlies
Pauli, Henning
Patel, Brijesh
Patel, Sameer
Pinto, Sofia
Pitt, Timothy
Ranasinghe, Aaron
Richardson, Carla
Robertson, Hayley
Rubino, Antonio
Sampson, Caroline
Sayeed, Rana
Shah, Sachin
Swanson, Neil
Thakuria, Louit
Walker, Christopher
Webb, Stephen
Wilson, Barbara
Rosenberg, Alex
Brain, Neil
Hernandez Caballero, Clara
Camporota, Luigi
Deakin, Charles D
Elliott, Pauline
Fitzmaurice, Hannah
Flower, Luke
Gaffey, Debra
Garcia, Miguel
Gardner, Roy S
Georgovasilis, Georgios
Govier, Matthew
Jackson, Timothy
Naldrett, Ian
Ostermann, Marlies
Pauli, Henning
Patel, Brijesh
Patel, Sameer
Pinto, Sofia
Pitt, Timothy
Ranasinghe, Aaron
Richardson, Carla
Robertson, Hayley
Rubino, Antonio
Sampson, Caroline
Sayeed, Rana
Shah, Sachin
Swanson, Neil
Thakuria, Louit
Walker, Christopher
Webb, Stephen
Wilson, Barbara
Rosenberg, Alex
Date
2025-10-06
Type
Article
Subject
Heart arrest, Resuscitation
Collections
Citation
Akhtar W, Brain N, Hernandez Caballero C, Camporota L, Deakin CD, Elliott P, Fitzmaurice H, Flower L, Gaffey D, Garcia M, Gardner RS, Georgovasilis G, Govier M, Jackson T, Naldrett I, Ostermann M, Pauli H, Patel B, Patel S, Pinto S, Pitt T, Ranasinghe A, Richardson C, Robertson H, Rubino A, Sampson C, Sayeed R, Shah S, Swanson N, Thakuria L, Walker C, Webb S, Wilson B, Rosenberg A. British societies guideline on the management of emergencies in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Intensive Care Med. 2025 Nov;51(11):2013-2020. doi: 10.1007/s00134-025-08142-2. Epub 2025 Oct 6
Journal / Source Title
Intensive care medicine
DOI
10.1007/s00134-025-08142-2
PMID
41051555
Publisher
Springer Verlag