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Updated: Oct 8, 2025

Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a Mouse
Published on: October 24, 2018
The physiology of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: The Fick principle
1156807Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Abstract:
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be delivered in veno-arterial (VA) and veno-venous (VV) configurations based on the cannulation strategy. VA and VV ECMO are delivered primarily for haemodynamic and respiratory support in patients with severe heart and lung failure, respectively. The Fick principle describes the relationship between blood flow and oxygen consumption - key parameters in the physiological management of extracorporeal support. This review will discuss the application of the Fick principle in: (i) recirculation in VV ECMO; (ii) the quantification of oxygen delivery (DO2) in VV ECMO and (iii) the quantification of transpulmonary blood flow and systemic arterial oxygen saturation in VA ECMO.
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