ECMO Is Better Than Conventional Ventilation For Treating Severe Respiratory Failure From Conditions Like Swine Flu (CESAR Trial)

An article published Online First and in a future edition of The Lancet reports that patients with severe acute respiratory failure (ARF) should be referred for treatment using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). This approach improves their chances of survival without disability compared to using conventional ventilator management.