ECMO bias flow on ventilator for low TV alarm

  • ECMO patients are usually on very low ventilator settings to rest the lung
  • When asthma/COPD patient is on ECMO, there might be very low tidal volume with low ventilator settings due to airway bronchospasm.
  • Ventilator may have continuous low tidal volume alarm as result.
  • Bias flow (external oxygen bleed in) are often used to avoid low TV ventilator alarm