Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can act as a bridge to recovery in both pre- and postoperative patients with transposition of the great arteries (TGA). However, literature on its use in these patients is scarce.

Retrospective single-centre cohort study encompassing all TGA patients who received ECMO between January 2009 and March 2024.

Twenty-two neonates received ECMO during the study period, with an overall median age and weight at time of ECMO cannulation of 6.5 (1.8–10) days and 3.7 (3.3–4.0) kg, respectively. Twelve neonates received ECMO prior to the arterial switch operation because of severe persistent pulmonary hypertension (83%), respiratory failure due to severe pulmonary atelectasis (8%) or hypoxia after pulmonary arterial banding procedure (8%). Postoperative ECMO was used in 11 patients; of these, 1 (9%) had also received ECMO preoperatively. Postoperative indications for the remaining patients included failure to wean from cardiopulmonary bypass (50%), low cardiac output in Intensive Care Unit (20%), or after cardiopulmonary arrest (30%). Overall, median ECMO duration for all TGA patients was 75 (45–171) h, with a survival rate of 59% to hospital discharge. Among the preoperative ECMO patients, 5 patients (42%) died (4 preoperatively, 1 postoperatively performed while on ECMO). In the postoperative ECMO group, survival rate was 60%.

In this single-centre retrospective study, TGA neonates received ECMO preoperatively primarily for severe pulmonary hypertension and postoperatively for failure to wean from cardiopulmonary bypass. This study showed a 58% and 60% survival to hospital discharge in ECMO patients supported preoperatively and those supported postoperatively, respectively.