When the Treatment of Last Resort Sends a Life Into Limbo
In a guest essay written for The New York Times, Daniela J. Lamas, MD, delves into the ethics behind the extended use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), or lung bypass, when lungs fail. Through a case, she talks about what happens when a patient goes on ECHO and then finds out that a lung transplant is not available to them. In cases like this, the author brings in palliative care to help with decision-making.