Over the last several years, the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has exponentially increased. As the technology advanced, the rate of devastating complications has decreased somewhat, and the utility of ECMO has expanded beyond its conventional uses in cardiogenic shock and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Currently, ECMO can be deployed in the perioperative period with high-risk surgeries where cardiac or respiratory compromise is anticipated. Moreover, it can be utilized in difficult airway patients or patients undergoing airway surgeries, thoracic surgery patients, trauma victims and many other conditions previously excluded. The aim of this review is to highlight the ECMO-patient interaction, the indications for ECMO in the non-cardiac surgery population, ECMO management and potential complications.