Table 1 Key differences between extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)
| Â | ECMO | CPB |
|---|---|---|
Duration | Days to weeks | Minutes to hours |
Anticoagulation | Low-dose heparin | High-dose heparin |
Reversal of anticoagulation | Not used | Protamine administration |
Haemodilution | Yes - to a lesser degree than CPB | Yes |
Hypothermia | No | Yes |
Air-blood interface | No - closed circuit | Yes - some closed variants exist |
Pulsatility | Variable, dependent on mode | Non-pulsatile |