Abstract: Traditional airway management techniques may fail to provide adequate oxygenation and ventilation for high-risk patients in complex cases. As an extracorporeal life support (ECLS) technology, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) offers continuous oxygenation and homodynamic support for these patients and provides critical assistance in perioperative airway management. ECMO can be applied in various scenarios, including difficult airways, complex airway surgeries and emergency airway management. It plays a vital role in ensuring peri-operative safety, optimizing surgical field exposure, reducing the risk of severe peri-operative complications and improving clinical outcomes.

Key words: ECMO, airway management, difficult airway, emergency airway, central airway obstruction