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Medicine

Ethical Dilemmas in ECMO Withdrawal for Irrecoverable Patients

Quick fact

Unlike a ventilator, which can be weaned gradually, ECMO withdrawal often means an immediate cessation of oxygenation and circulation, causing rapid physiological deterioration and death, which intensifies the ethical weight of the decision.

Why this is interesting

You might assume that once a life-saving machine is started, turning it off is a straightforward medical call. But for patients on ECMO, the decision to withdraw support is fraught with ethical landmines that puzzle even seasoned intensivists.