Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an important treatment for infants and children with cardiorespiratory failure. It involves the use of an artificial lung (membrane) located outside the body (extracorporeal) that puts oxygen into the blood, and then carries this blood to the body tissues (oxygenation).
The Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center ECMO program is directed by Richard A. Falcone Jr., MD. This program was one of the earliest such treatment centers in the nation and has benefited more than 400 children since its inception in 1985.
The program plays an integral role in the care of extremely ill neonates and children with reversible pulmonary and cardiac disorders that are not responsive to conventional treatment for acute respiratory or cardiac failure. The ECMO team is made up of:
- Nurses
- Respiratory therapists
- Neonatologists
- Pediatric critical care specialists
- Pediatric and cardiac surgeons
