[Cannulation for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in infants less than 5 kg]

To summarize the experience of cannulation for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in infants less than 5 kg.

Eleven infants with ECMO support who weighed less than 5 kg were admitted to critical care medicine of Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from June 2016 to June 2018 were enrolled. Retrospective analysis of support type, configuration, site of cannula and complication of ECMO was performed.

The 11 infants consisted of 9 males and 2 females. The weight on ECMO of 1.96-4.60 kg, with an average of (3.14±0.65) kg; age 0.1-30.0 days, with a median of 5.6 (1.5, 8.3) days. Four cases were given ECMO because of congenital diaphragmatic hernia with severe pulmonary hypertension and other 7 cases were cannulated due to complication of congenital cardiac surgery. All infants were received veno-arterial (V-A) ECMO. In 4 cases, the cannulas were placed in the right internal jugular vein for drainage (8-10 French catheter with 6.0-7.5 cm depth) and the right carotid artery for infusion (6-8 French catheter with 2.5-3.5 cm depth); the average time of cannulation in right carotid and jugular vessels was (73±20) minutes (range 55-100 minutes). In other 7 cases, the cannulas were inserted into the right atrium (12-14 French catheter with 2.8-3.0 cm depth) for draining blood and returning it to the ascending aorta (6-8 French catheter with 1.0-2.0 cm depth); the average time of cannulation in central vessels was (64±31) minutes (range 35-110 minutes) with exclusion of 2 cases intraoperative cannulation. There were three infants with complications. One episode was shown in vascular rupture, one in catheter site hemorrhage and one in cannula malposition with later repositioning. There was no case of insertion site infection, cannula-related bloodstream infection and accident detached cannula.

Cannulation for ECMO can be performed in infants less than 5 kg with a high rate of success and a low rate of complication owing to appropriate catheter and skillful cannulation.