Pre-Conference Highlights:

ECMO Unfiltered: Real Debates, Real Cases, Real Progress. Preconference is not just a series of lectures – it’s a day of interacting with both pediatric and adult ECMO clinicians: ECMO specialists, nurses, respiratory therapists, perfusionists, physical therapists, surgeons, intensive care doctors and more!

From building programs that thrive under pressure to navigating uncertainty at the bedside, this pre-conference pulls back the curtain. You won’t just hear what’s working: you’ll see how and why. You’ll vote, debate, question, and rethink.

Because progress in ECMO doesn’t come from the comfortable confines of a lecture. It comes from staying relentlessly curious.

Come ready to challenge. Leave ready to tackle what’s next.

After your exciting preconference experience, you will be primed and ready to learn in the main conference: honoring Dr. Bartlett’s legacy of Relentless Curiosity – a curiosity that challenges limits and saves lives

Main Conference Highlights:

Relentless Curiosity is more than this year's theme. It is the spirit that defined Dr. Robert Bartlett's groundbreaking work and continues to drive innovation across the ECMO community. Throughout ELSO 2026, attendees will honor his legacy while exploring the ideas, technologies, and discoveries shaping the future of extracorporeal life support. 

• Honor Dr. Bartlett's Legacy as we celebrate the relentless curiosity, bold thinking, and spirit of innovation that transformed ECMO and continues to inspire the future of extracorporeal support.
• Discover What's Possible with plenary sessions that celebrate innovation, challenge conventional thinking, and explore the future of extracorporeal life support.
• Learn from Experts Around the World through dynamic breakout sessions spanning adult, pediatric, and neonatal ECMO, program development, research, clinical innovation, and more.
• Engage in Discussion with debates, panel sessions, and interactive forums designed to challenge assumptions and inspire new ideas.
• Connect with the Global ECMO Community to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and advance the future of care through collaboration and discovery.