Glossary

Glossary

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
A serious lung condition that causes low blood oxygen, usually due to another disease or a major injury.

Bridge to lung transplantation
VV-ECMO used to sustain the patient until donor lungs are available.

Cannula (singular), cannulae (plural)
Plastic tube placed in the blood vessels used to transport blood to and from the VV-ECMO machine.

Decannulation
Surgical removal of ECMO cannulae.

ECLS
Extracorporeal life support.

ECMO
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

ECMO specialist
A specially trained perfusionist who manages the ECMO system.

Hypercapnic and hypoxemic respiratory failure
Too much carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen in the blood, respectively.

Post-transplantation primary graft dysfunction
Lung injury that occurs to transplanted lungs within 72 hours of transplantation.

Terminal decannulation
Stopping the ECMO machine when the lungs are too injured to repair and the patient is not a candidate for transplantation.

Ventilator
A machine that helps a person breathe, connected by a tube in the mouth or neck.