Introduction

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) supports oxygenation and carbon dioxide (CO₂) clearance in the short- or mid-term, and is traditionally utilized in severe, refractory respiratory failure. There is a growing body of literature describing the perioperative use of VV-ECMO in general thoracic surgery to facilitate safe operations and/or bridge to recovery. Reported indications include high-risk pulmonary resections (such as in the context of prior pneumonectomy), tracheobronchial reconstructions, and management of airway obstructions.^1–8 However, there are a limited number of reports on its use in an elective or planned manner. Here, we describe our institution’s use of elective perioperative VV-ECMO.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed our department’s surgical and ECMO databases to identify all elective thoracic cases with elective ECMO cannulation for perioperative support. Descriptive statistics were generated for clinical, perioperative, and ECMO-specific variables. No statistical tests were employed. The Institutional Review Board of Weill Cornell Medicine determined this activity is not research involving human subjects and that IRB review and approval are not required; patient consent was waived (Protocol 25–04028781-01, Jun 26, 2025).