extracorporeal

American  

[ek-struh-kawr-pawr-ee-uhl, -pohr-] / ˌɛk strə kɔrˈpɔr i əl, -ˈpoʊr- /

adjective

1. occurring or situated outside the body, as a heart-lung machine used to oxygenate the blood during surgery.

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extracorporeal British  

/ ˌɛkstrəkɔːˈpɔːrɪəl /

adjective

1. outside the body

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Other Word Forms

• extracorporeally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of extracorporeal

First recorded in 1860–65; extra- + corporeal

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

extracorporeal

In the Americas, doctors can help infected people by putting them on a life-support machine known as ECMO, for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, which breathes for the patient by oxygenating the blood.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026

In cases where hantavirus infection is suspected, Mertz said people should seek out urban medical centers that offer extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, which can be used to support the lungs.

From MarketWatch ● May 4, 2026

I’ve even had a small number of pregnant patients who needed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, essentially a lung bypass machine–our last ditch effort for someone whose lungs do not work.

From Slate ● Jan. 12, 2022

We were walking a patient who was on ECMO, which is extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and it took five people to walk her.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 7, 2020

While many interventions for Covid-19 are routine, like supplying oxygen through masks, safety-net hospital patients also have not had much access to advanced treatments, including a heart-lung bypass called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or E.C.M.O.

From New York Times ● Jul. 1, 2020