[A case of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation after heart surgery]

There is international experience of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) in children suffering acute Respiratory failure (eg. meconium aspiration syndrome); on the contrary there is a lack of consistent experience in pediatric ECMO application in cardiac surgery as bridge to cardiac transplantation and as heart mechanical support after postcardiotomy failure. In fact there are good standardization criteria for selection, inclusion and exclusion in ECMO application for neonatal respiratory failure; differently pediatric ECMO timing (that is when to start and to stop this ventricular support) is not clear and standardized. We present one case of pediatric ECMO application in a neonate, who underwent cardiac operation for pulmonary valve aplasia and who was impossible to wean from cardiopulmonary bypass.