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Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: successful bridge to pediatric heart transplantation
Annette Santiago1, Irma Ramos, Cid Quintana
1Department of Pediatrics, Critical Care Section, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-5067. ansantiago@rcm.upr.edu
Insights
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provided crucial circulatory support for pediatric cardiac failure. This case demonstrates ECMO
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been utilized since 2000 for pediatric cardiac failure postoperatively.
- Previous applications at Centro Cardiovascular de Puerto Rico y el Caribe were limited to circulatory support after congenital heart defect repair.
Observation:
- A pediatric patient with severe cardiac failure required advanced circulatory support.
- The patient's condition necessitated exploring alternative treatment strategies beyond conventional postoperative care.
Findings:
- Successful application of ECMO as a bridge to pediatric heart transplantation is reported.
- This represents the first successful use of ECMO for bridging to heart transplantation in Puerto Rico.
Implications:
- Highlights the potential of ECMO as a vital bridge therapy for pediatric heart transplantation.
- Expands the therapeutic options for critically ill children with end-stage cardiac failure in Puerto Rico.
- Suggests a valuable role for ECMO in managing complex pediatric cardiac conditions requiring transplantation.
Abstract:
Since the year 2000, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support for cardiac failure has been employed in the post operative care of children at the Centro Cardiovascular de Puerto Rico y el Caribe. Our experience with the application of ECMO had been limited to circulatory support after repair of congenital cardiac lesions. We report the first case in Puerto Rico where ECMO was used successfully as bridge to pediatric heart transplantation.
