Long-term respiratory support is carried out through the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) system. This treatment is reserved for cases where mechanical ventilation cannot supply the necessary oxygen demand, i.e., in severe lung failure due to aging, chronic lung diseases, or acute virus infections (e.g. COVID-19, MERS) . The main purpose of the ECMO system is to provide support until the body naturally recovers (bridge-to-recovery) , or in rarer cases until the patient receives an organ transplant (bridge-to-transplantation) . ECMO is also used as a standard of care for premature neonates whose lungs are immature and cannot provide sufficient oxygenation to satisfy their physiological needs 158 .