WHO interim guidelines recommend offering extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to eligible patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The number of patients with COVID-19 infection who might develop severe ARDS that is refractory to maximal medical management and require this level of support is currently unknown. Available evidence from similar patient populations suggests that carefully selected patients with severe ARDS who do not benefit from conventional treatment might be successfully supported with venovenous ECMO. The need for ECMO is relatively low and its use is mostly restricted to specialised centres globally. Providing complex therapies such as ECMO during outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases has unique challenges. Careful planning, judicious resource allocation, and training of personnel to provide complex therapeutic interventions while adhering to strict infection control measures are all crucial components of an ECMO action plan. ECMO can be initiated in specialist centres, or patients can receive ECMO during transportation from a centre that is not specialised for this procedure to an expert ECMO centre. Ensuring that systems enable safe and coordinated movement of critically ill patients, staff, and equipment is important to improve ECMO access. ECMO preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic is important in view of the high transmission rate of the virus and respiratory-related mortality.

世卫组织临时指南建议向符合条件的 2019 年冠状病毒病 (COVID-19) 相关急性呼吸窘迫综合征 (ARDS) 患者提供体外膜肺氧合 (ECMO)。目前尚不清楚有多少 COVID-19 感染患者可能会发展为最大程度的医疗管理难以治愈且需要这种支持水平的严重 ARDS。来自相似患者群体的现有证据表明，精心挑选的重度 ARDS 患者如果不能从常规治疗中获益，可能会成功地获得静脉 ECMO 支持。对 ECMO 的需求相对较低，其使用主要限于全球的专业中心。在新兴传染病爆发期间提供 ECMO 等复杂疗法具有独特的挑战。精心规划，明智的资源分配，培训人员以提供复杂的治疗干预，同时遵守严格的感染控制措施，这些都是 ECMO 行动计划的重要组成部分。ECMO 可以在专科中心启动，或者患者可以在从不专门从事此程序的中心转移到专家 ECMO 中心的过程中接受 ECMO。确保系统能够安全、协调地移动危重病人、工作人员和设备对于改善 ECMO 访问非常重要。鉴于病毒的高传播率和与呼吸道相关的死亡率，ECMO 对 COVID-19 大流行的准备非常重要。或者患者可以在从不专门从事此程序的中心运送到专家 ECMO 中心的过程中接受 ECMO。确保系统能够安全、协调地移动危重病人、工作人员和设备对于改善 ECMO 访问非常重要。鉴于病毒的高传播率和与呼吸道相关的死亡率，ECMO 对 COVID-19 大流行的准备非常重要。或者患者可以在从不专门从事此程序的中心运送到专家 ECMO 中心的过程中接受 ECMO。确保系统能够安全、协调地移动危重病人、工作人员和设备对于改善 ECMO 访问非常重要。鉴于病毒的高传播率和与呼吸道相关的死亡率，ECMO 对 COVID-19 大流行的准备非常重要。