Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that causes the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus.

A defective gene and its protein lead to the disease, which affects 30,000 children and adults in the United States, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Cystic fibrosis causes the lungs to clog, which leads to life-threatening lung infections. The condition also obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body digest food. While 50 years ago most children died before reaching elementary school, treatments now allow many people with the disease to live into their 40s and beyond.

Most deaths from cystic fibrosis occur as a result of lung
complications. Lung problems caused by the condition include chronic infection, damaging of the airways and collapsed lung.

Over time, cystic fibrosis can damage lung tissue so badly that it doesn't work anymore. At this point, doctors may suggest a lung transplant, a major operation since both need to be replaced. About 900 lung transplants are performed in the United States each year, and nearly 1,600 people with cystic fibrosis have received lung transplants since 1991.

A patient waiting on a lung transplant may need respiratory support from a ventilator. Some patients have lung damage so severe that the ventilator itself can do further damage. A ventilator applies
positive pressure to the lungs, which is an abnormal event for the organ, as normal breathing applies negative pressure.

To solve the dilemma, some medical centers offer extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to keep the blood oxygenated without a ventilator as a bridge to transplant. ECMO works by bypassing the lungs to directly oxygenate the blood.

The ECMO circuit draws blood from the body, circulates it through an oxygenator, removes carbon dioxide, warms the blood and returns it to the circulatory system.