Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Pediatric Patients with Respiratory Failure: Early Experience with the Double-Lumen Cannula Over 2 Years

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in children: An update of a single tertiary center 11-Year experience from Croatia

INTRODUCTION

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an important treatment option for organ support in respiratory insufficiency, cardiac failure, or as an advanced tool for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Reports on pediatric ECMO use in our region are lacking.

METHODS

This study is a retrospective review of all pediatric cases that underwent a veno-arterial (VA) or veno-venous (VV) ECMO protocol between November 2009 and August 2020 at the Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Croatia.

RESULTS

Fifty-two ECMO runs identified over the period; data were complete for 45 cases, of which 23 (51%) were female, and median age was 8 months. Thirty-eight (84%) patients were treated using the VA-and 7 (16%) using VV-ECMO. The overall survival rate was 51%. Circulatory failure was the most common indication for ECMO (N = 38, 84%), and in 17 patients ECMO was started after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (E-CPR). Among survivors, 74% had no or minor neurological sequelae. Variables associated with poor outcome were renal failure with renal replacement therapy (p < .001) and intracranial injury (p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Overall survival rate in our cohort is comparable to the data published in the literature. The use of hemodialysis was shown to be associated with higher mortality. High rates of full neurological recovery among survivors are a strong case for further ECMO program development in our institution.

Venovenous extra corporeal life support in an infant with foreign body aspiration: A case report

Background

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a life-threatening emergency and a common cause of morbidity and morbidity in children. FBA can lead to rapidly progressive respiratory failure. Stabilizing patients after FBA for bronchoscopic removal of the aspirated object can be complex and may necessitate advanced support such as high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). This case report presents the feasibility of using ultrasound (US) in percutaneous catheterization in infants and the benefit of using venovenous ECMO (VV-ECMO) as rescue therapy in FBA.

Case summary

A 10-month-old girl accidently aspirated a metallic piece that was dislodged further to the right main bronchus after failed trials to remove it. She was intubated and mechanically ventilated, complicated by milk aspiration and bilateral pneumothoraces secondary to high-pressure lung ventilation. She had refractory mixed respiratory failure despite high settings of HFOV and inhaled nitric oxide. Venovenous ECMO (VV-ECMO) was initiated for stabilization and a bridge for bronchoscopic foreign body removal and awaiting lung recovery. She was weaned off ECMO after 166 hours. The patient was extubated after a few days and discharged home 28 days after admission without clinical evidence of neurological or respiratory complications. ECMO has been described in the literature as rescue therapy for FBA resulting in respiratory failure. However, ECMO cannulation in children under these circumstances is challenging because of vessel size restrictions. Two-vessel cannulation or dual-lumen cannulation are available options via open cut-down or percutaneous cannulation techniques, depending on the general expertise. The use of vascular ultrasound to assess vessel size is a helpful tool for cannulating infants.

Conclusion

VV-ECMO support is expanding for respiratory failure in pediatric patients. Percutaneous cannulation in infants and children for VV-ECMO is safe and feasible.