Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS), commonly referred to as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), is a modified form of cardiopulmonary bypass. Venous blood is drained from the patient and advanced to a membrane lung for gas exchange.

Oxygenated blood is then returned to the patient through a large vein (called venovenous or VV ECMO) or artery (called venoarterial or VA ECMO). Although ECMO was attempted early on in adults, failure to demonstrate any benefit cooled any enthusiasm for the technique, and it was largely abandoned for adults until recently.

Experience in ECMO has come largely from the neonatal and pediatric population.