Vascular access in ECMO

In critically ill patients, deserving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), choosing the right pattern of cannulation such as veno-venous (VV), veno-arterial (VA), veno-veno-arterial (VVA), and central; selecting the appropriate size cannulae; and good cannulation techniques are all pre-requisites for the successful outcome of ECMO. We are describing the selection criteria for choosing appropriate size cannulae, cannulation configurations, available cannulae, and possible complications. A brief note on anticoagulation was added.