The Challenges in Predicting ECMO Survival, and a Path Forward

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support is a life-saving but complex technique for patients suffering from severe cardiac or pulmonary dysfunction. Increasingly greater utilization in the last 15 years means that a suite of mortality risk analytics is both feasible for researchers and required by clinicians, patients, administrators, and insurers. We argue that to date, research into such risk analytics has been insufficient and does not adequately reflect the various indications and configurations of extracorporeal life support (ECLS). We propose a path to address these challenges and ensure that clinicians and researchers obtain robust, specific, risk analytics.