Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for cardiac support

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) uses cardiopulmonary bypass technology to provide prolonged cardiac or respiratory support in the intensive care unit. The use of ECMO for neonatal respiratory failure is now good evidence-based medicine following publication of the UK Collaborative ECMO Trial, but its use in adults and children remains controversial. In this review the use of ECMO to support paediatric patients with pre-and post-operative cardiac insufficiency is discussed. The survival with ECMO in these patients is 43-61%, which is remarkable in a group of patients who are moribund prior to initiation of ECMO.