Severe Lung Failure Center
Treatments and Services

Expert Treatments for Children with Severe Lung Failure

Cincinnati Children’s Severe Lung Failure Center is the only center in the country dedicated to providing comprehensive care for children of all ages with severe lung failure caused by disease or injury. As part of one of the nation’s leading pediatric pulmonology programs, we combine clinical expertise with cutting-edge research to provide the highest level of care for every child.

Our multidisciplinary team works closely with families and referring medical teams to develop an individualized treatment plan based on each child’s condition, previous treatments and unique needs. Throughout treatment, we focus on helping every child regain meaningful lung function and achieve the best possible quality of life. Treatment options may include:

Advanced Lung and Breathing Support

Prolonged extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
Complex ECMO cannulation and recannulation strategies, including venoarterial bridging procedures
Advanced mechanical ventilatory strategies including high-frequency percussive ventilation

Lung and Airway Procedures

Flexible thoracoscopy at beside
Endobronchial valve placement
Therapeutic and whole-lung bronchoalveolar lavage
Endobronchial cryotherapy to remove blood clots, mucus plugs or airway casts
Tracheostomy while receiving ECMO, as well as airway evaluation and reconstruction when needed to support tracheostomy removal

Chest and Heart Procedures

Thoracentesis for complex empyema, hemothorax, or pleural effusion on ECMO
Diagnostic cardiac catheterization and atrial septostomy on ECMO
Pleural manometry

Lung Monitoring and Recovery

Functional lung imaging and electrical impedance tomography
Bedside esophagogastroscopy and post-pyloric feeding tube placement to support nutrition
Mobility and rehabilitation during and after ECMO

Related Specialties

To help children with severe lung failure conditions achieve their best quality of life, we collaborate with the following programs at Cincinnati Children's.

End-Stage Lung Failure Program

The End-Stage Lung Failure Program at Cincinnati Children’s provides specialized care for children with severe, complex lung conditions. The program evaluates patients to determine whether their lungs can recover with treatment or whether they may need advanced support to prepare for a lung transplant.

Lung Transplant Program

The Lung Transplant Program at Cincinnati Children’s cares for children with acute and chronic lung conditions that cannot be significantly improved with other medical or surgical treatments. The Severe Lung Failure Center partners with the Lung Transplant Program to evaluate patients with complex and challenging end-stage lung diseases and conditions for lung transplantation.

What To Expect

Severe Lung Failure CenterTreatments and Services