Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support Bridge to Transplant: Avoiding a Bridge to Nowhere

An enthusiastic yet balanced and succinct editorial on the occasion of a small series with short follow-up and absolute survival of ECMO-supported recipients of pulmonary transplantation (mostly with interstitial fibrosis) with short waiting time after ECMO (less than 16 days). The key word is 'selection.'  It is also worth contemplating whether placing a lung transplant candidate on ECMO expedites the donation and implantation, and the ramifications of that in terms of manipulating the waiting lists.