Extracorporeal life support for pandemic influenza: the role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in pandemic management.

The recent global threat of a severe pandemic influenza outbreak has suggested that extracorporeal life support will begin to play an evolving role in the care of critically ill influenza stricken patients. The highly communicable attributes of influenza could result in widespread infection and an associated increased need for advanced life support. Supply and demand equilibrium may be abruptly disrupted, and ethical decisions regarding the allocation of life saving resources will inevitably need to be made. Protocol oriented planning, research analysis, and advanced technologies are critical factors in averting catastrophe. This review article details the epidemiology, diagnostic techniques, and interventions for the influenza A virus, including H1N1.