Obesity as a Risk Factor for Failure to Wean from ECMO: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: Obesity has been associated with an increased risk of respiratory complications and other systemic illnesses. Respiratory dynamics in an obese patient, combined with modified lung physiology of ARDS, present a significant challenge in managing obese patients with ARDS. Many physicians think of obesity as a relative contraindication to ECMO.