Extracorporeal membrane pulmonary oxygenation (ECMO) system, also called extracorporeal life support system, has a powerful cardiac and pulmonary support capacity, which can provide sufficient buffer time for the recovery of severely impaired cardiopulmonary function. ECMO strives for the supply of systemic oxygen and hemodynamic steady state as well as the recovery of pulmonary and cardiac functions, and plays an important role in the rescue and treatment of critically ill patients. As an extracorporeal mechanical assistive technology for cardiopulmonary function, ECMO plays an irreplaceable role in severe respiratory diseases, critical diseases in infants and children, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, organ transplantation, and also in the treatment of critically ill patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia. However, as a high-risk operation technique, ECMO is prone to fatal complications such as large vessel tear, hemorrhage, vascular or ventricular thrombosis, infection, and shock during implementation. These require us to grasp the indications and contraindications while properly handling complications, and minimize or prevent complications through professional teams and operations. [Note: The terms “neocoronavirus pneumonia and novel coronavirus pneumonia” mentioned in this article were renamed to “novel coronavirus infection” on December 26, 2022, as announced by the National Health Commission.