Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a therapeutic intervention utilized for patients suffering from cardio-respiratory failure. ECMO, the highest level of life support, allows for different perfusion strategies to temporarily support patients as they recover or to facilitate as a bridge to transplantation (heart or lung).(1)Patients receiving ECMO are at high risk for significant physical impairment and pose unique challenges for physical therapy. Consequently, there is a need for innovative examples of successful physical therapy in these patients as preliminary data regarding feasibility and safety. Objective: to investigate the effect of rehabilitation protocol for patients in the intensive care unit receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Patients and Methods: 20 patients of both sexes receiving ECMO. Assessing data divide into acute assessing data (before and after session) and before sessions and after 2 week of daily physiotherapy session. Rehabilitation protocol started once the patient became vital stable after cannulation on ECMO. NMES for 30 minutes, limbs exercises and chest physiotherapy continued for 2 weeks after cannulation one session daily. Chest x-ray (CXR) used to asses alveolar consolidation, arterial blood gases(ABG) used to asses oxygenation and medical research council (MRC) used to asses muscle power. All patients were assessed pre and post the study and also pre and post session. Results: There was a significant improvement in MRC and CXR with improvement percentage 16.89% and 39.67% respectively at endpoint compared to baseline within study group and non-significant improvement in SaO2 and PaO2 with percent 2.04% and 10.03% respectively. Regarding the acute assessing data there was a significant improvement in CXR, SaO2 and PaO2 with improvement percentage 18.53%,2.82%,9.75% respectively and non-significant improvement in MRC with percent 0.35%. Conclusion: rehabilitation protocol can improve muscle power, prevent muscle atrophy and improve chest condition.
