VA-ECMO is often described as temporary cardiopulmonary support, but understanding how it interacts with the native circulation requires a much deeper appreciation of cardiovascular physiology.
At its simplest, VA-ECMO removes venous blood, oxygenates it through an extracorporeal circuit, and returns it to the arterial system.
The result is immediate augmentation of systemic blood flow and oxygen delivery. However, VA-ECMO does not replace the native circulation.
Instead, the patient's heart and lungs continue to function alongside the extracorporeal circuit. This creates a unique physiologic interaction.