PURPOSE Severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is associated with high mortality. Timing of CDH repair relative to ECMO therapy remains controversial. Our hypothesis was that survival would significantly differ between those who underwent repair during ECMO and those who underwent repair after ECMO therapy. METHODS We examined deident...

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a technique for providing life support, in case the natural lungs are failing and are not able to maintain a sufficient oxygenation of the body's organ systems. ECMO technique was an adaptation of conventional cardiopulmonary bypass techniques and introduced into treatment of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in the 1970s. The initia...

BACKGROUND Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a useful treatment for refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, little is known about the predictors of survival and neurologic outcome after ECMO. We analyzed our institution's experience with ECMO for refractory OHCA and evaluated the predictors of survival and neurologic outcome after ECMO. METHODS This was a retros...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This article reviews case series and trials that evaluated extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for respiratory failure and describes patient and circuit management in the modern era of ECMO support. RECENT FINDINGS In recent years, pivotal progress has been made in the conception and construction of ECMO circuits. They are now simpler, safer, require less anticoagulat...

BACKGROUND Despite improved managements for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), its mortality remains high. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has emerged as the final option for the treatment of ARDS unresponsive to conventional measures. This study describes our experiences of venovenous ECMO support for the treatment of ARDS. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 2007 and 2010, 56 ...

BACKGROUND The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in children after cardiac surgery is well established. ECMO support is becoming an integral tool for cardiopulmonary resuscitation in specified centers. OBJECTIVES To review our use of ECMO over a 10 year period. METHODS All children supported with ECMO from 2000 to 2010 were reviewed. Most of these children suffered from card...

The usual indications for extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are for respiratory or cardiac failure. Although continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is frequently used when patients are on ECMO, the need for CRRT as the primary indication for ECMO is rare. A case of a neonate placed onto veno-venous ECMO for the use of CRRT to treat hyperammonemia from propionic acidemia is presen...

BACKGROUND Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-saving modality used in the management of cardiopulmonary failure that is refractory to conventional medical and surgical therapies. The major problems clinicians face are bleeding and clotting, which can occur simultaneously. To discern the impact of pulmonary injury and ECMO on the host's haemostatic response, we developed an ovi...

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to describe the population pharmacokinetics of vancomycin in critically ill patients treated with and without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). METHODS We retrospectively reviewed data from critically ill patients treated with ECMO and matched controls who received a continuous infusion of vancomycin (35 mg/kg loading dose over 4 hours followed...

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is indicated when conventional measures fail to support a patient during cardiac or respiratory failure. Due to the complicated nature of ECMO, patients often require transport to a tertiary care center. This study retrospectively compared the performance of the Cardiohelp™ (Maquet) life support system with a previously used ECMO circuit when transport...