Is extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome related to intra-abdominal sepsis beneficial?

International audienceIntra-abdominal sepsis (IAS) is frequently associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Interest in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a therapeutic option in ARDS is increasing. However significant concerns remain about the most appropriate patient population which would benefit from the technique. Recent studies found that ARDS aetiologies such as pneumonia, asthma, trauma and burn or aspiration were associated with better outcomes [1–3]. Conversely, acute non-pulmonary-associated infections or a high number of organ failures were independent risk factors of mortality [1–3]. Thus the role of ECMO as a potentially useful therapeutic option in case of ARDS related to IAS remains questionable. We report 10 cases for which ECMO support was applied