Who Really Gets VV ECMO? Numbers, Nuance, and the Human Factor

Is VV ECMO purely a numbers game? Or is there a softer, more human side to deciding who receives this life-saving therapy? In this candid and insightful interview, Jon Marinaro sits down with the legendary Dr. Eddy Fan—one of the most published and respected voices in the field of critical care.

Together, they unpack the hard data and the gray areas: prognostic scoring, patient selection, and the ethical dilemmas that come with scarce resources. They also dive into the “sticky” dynamics of ECMO programs, including the subtle (or not-so-subtle) influence that a cannulating specialist can have on who actually gets the therapy.

This is a must-listen for anyone working at the intersection of critical care, ethics, and real-world ECMO decision-making.

Rubin J, Witkin AS, Crowley JC, Michel E, Furfaro DM, Teijeiro-Paradis R, Ilg A, Seethala R, Zhao S, Fan E. Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Candidacy Decision-Making: Lessons and Hypotheses From a Single-Center Observational Analysis. Chest. 2024 Sep;166(3):491-501. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2024.02.042. Epub 2024 Feb 27. PMID: 38423278.

Combes A, Schmidt M, Hodgson CL, Fan E, Ferguson ND, Fraser JF, Jaber S, Pesenti A, Ranieri M, Rowan K, Shekar K, Slutsky AS, Brodie D. Extracorporeal life support for adults with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Intensive Care Med. 2020 Dec;46(12):2464-2476. doi: 10.1007/s00134-020-06290-1. Epub 2020 Nov 2. PMID: 33140180; PMCID: PMC7605473.