What is ECMO

Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation

ECMO stands for a treatment that uses a pump to circulate blood through an artificial lung back into the bloodstream of a very ill baby. This system provides heart-lung bypass support outside of the baby’s body.

WHY IS ECMO USED?

ECMO is used in infants who are extremely ill due to breathing or heart problems. The purpose of ECMO is to provide enough oxygen to the baby while allowing time for the lungs and heart to rest or heal.

The most common conditions that may require ECMO are:

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)
Heart malformations
Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS)
Pneumonia
Severe air leak problems
Severe pulmonary hypertension
It may also be used during the recovery period after heart surgery.

HOW IS A BABY PLACED ON ECMO?

Starting ECMO requires a large team of caregivers to stabilize the baby, as well as the careful set-up and priming of the ECMO pump with fluid and blood. Surgery is performed to attach the ECMO pump to the baby through catheters that are placed into large blood vessels in the baby's neck.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF ECMO?

First, because babies who are considered for ECMO are very ill, they are at high risk for long-term problems, including death. In addition to the already high-risk situation, once the baby is placed on ECMO, additional risks include:

Bleeding
Blood clot formation
Infection
Transfusion problems
Rarely, the pump can have mechanical problems (tube breaks, pump stops), which can harm the baby.

However, most babies who need ECMO would probably die if it were not used.

For more information: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007234.htm