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Updated: May 6, 2026
Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a Mouse
Published on: October 24, 2018
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and lethal diseases: a new perspective
Massimiliano Greco1, Alberto Zangrillo, Laura Pasin
1Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
Abstract:
Lethal cancer and chronic untreatable viral disease with life threatening consequences are among the major burden for morbidity and mortality in the western world. A large number of resources are employed every year in identification of new drugs to treat this condition. A remarkable percentage of resources are wasted for safety concerns about possible acute cardiac or pulmonary toxicity of the new identified compounds, that are rejected without further development even when promising. ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is an established technique to support and replace cardio-pulmonary function that underwent rapid technologic improvement in the last years, resulting in reduced complication rate. ECMO has been used with success to treat acute life-threatening cardiac and pulmonary toxicity. Our hypothesis is that the new ECMO technological improvement could make this technique available to other setting, such as lethal cancer and infectious diseases, where it can provide a safe base to overwhelm acute cardiac and pulmonary toxicity of chemotoxic drugs and techniques. New drugs and old promising compounds rejected for toxicity could thus be re-introduced and employed, opening a new scenario in the treatment of life-threatening diseases.
Insights
New advancements in ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) can mitigate life-threatening cardiac and pulmonary toxicity from cancer and viral disease treatments. This technology may enable the safe reintroduction of promising drugs previously rejected for safety concerns.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
- Oncology
- Infectious Diseases
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Cancer and chronic viral diseases pose significant global health burdens.
- Drug development for these conditions is resource-intensive.
- Acute cardiac and pulmonary toxicity frequently halts promising drug development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of advanced ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) in managing treatment-induced toxicities.
- To hypothesize ECMO's utility in enabling the use of otherwise rejected chemotoxic agents.
- To propose ECMO as a supportive measure for treating life-threatening cancers and viral infections.
Main Methods:
- Review of technological advancements in ECMO.
- Analysis of ECMO's established role in acute cardio-pulmonary support.
- Hypothetical application of ECMO to mitigate chemotoxicity in oncology and virology.
Main Results:
- Recent technological improvements have reduced ECMO complication rates.
- ECMO has demonstrated success in managing acute, life-threatening cardiac and pulmonary toxicity.
- The study posits ECMO can create a safe environment for administering potent drugs.
Conclusions:
- Advanced ECMO technology offers a potential solution to overcome drug-induced cardio-pulmonary toxicity.
- This approach could facilitate the re-evaluation and use of promising but previously discarded therapeutic compounds.
- ECMO may open new therapeutic avenues for lethal cancers and untreatable viral diseases.
