[Acute respiratory failure--support of gas exchange using extracorporeal or implanted oxygenators--present status and future development].

In acute respiratory failure gas exchange can be supported or even maintained in an "alternative" way to mechanical ventilation using extracorporeal techniques (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ECMO, extracorporeal CO2-removal ECCO2R), or intravenacaval oxygenators (IVOX). These techniques, which are currently in use in neonatology, pediatrics, and adult intensive care medicine, or techniques at present in clinical evaluation (IVOX), are reviewed with their indications, contraindications, differences, problems, worldwide results, and possible future applications.