Acute poisoning is characterized by a sudden and rapid onset, most poisons lack specific antidotes. Even with the full use of blood purification, mechanical ventilation, and various drugs, it is often difficult to change the fatal outcome of critically ill patients. In recent years, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has gradually gained attention and exploratory application in the treatment of acute poisoning due to its significant cardiopulmonary function support, veno-venous ECMO is used for severe lung injury after poisoning, acute respiratory distress syndrome and respiratory failure due to ineffective mechanical ventilation, and it can also be used to assist the removal of residual poisons in the lungs. Veno-arterial ECMO is commonly employed in patients with circulatory failure following poisoning, fatal cardiac arrhythmias, and arrest of cardiac and respiratory. The application of veno-arterio-venous ECMO has also been reported. The mode of ECMO necessitates timely adjustments according to the evolving illness, while ongoing exploration of additional clinical indications is underway. This review analyzes and evaluates the application scope and effectiveness of ECMO in acute poisoning in recent years, with a view to better exploring and rationalizing the use of this technology.