Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is being increasingly used in patients having sepsis-induced cardiovascular dysfunction. We report successful use of venovenous ECMO in septic shock secondary to pneumonia in the presence of severe left ventricular dysfunction. We also discuss the quantitative evaluation of cardiovascular dysfunction, which provides important input in choosing the type of ECMO in septic shock.

Careful donor quality assessment and size match can impact long-term survival in lung transplantation. With this article, we review the conceptual and practical aspects of the preoperative donor lung quality assessment and size matching.