[skynet-9000]

Why don't we do that now instead of ventilating?

[PeterisP]

ECMO was used for some Covid patients, but the machines are even more rare and the process even more tricky than ventilation.

[ericbarrett]

External blood pumps (which ECMO uses) have issues with both clotting and mechanical damage to the red blood cells, both of which have to be actively managed.