The use of a second course of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in neonatal patients

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been successful in rescuing near term or term infants in cardio-respiratory failure that results from a reversible disease process. In most cases, only one course of ECMO is needed to save these infants. However, a second course of ECMO may be beneficial in a select group of infants when recurrent persistent pulmonary hypertension develops. Other than abstract form, this is the first report of the use of a second course of ECMO in the literature. The authors report on three infants, two with recurrent persistent pulmonary hypertension secondary to congenital diaphragmatic hernia and one with necrotizing tracheobronchitis after Group B streptococcal sepsis who were treated at their institution with a second course of ECMO. Technical considerations in using a second course of ECMO depend upon the initial vessel cannulation site, time elapsed between cannulations, and the condition of the original artery and vein. By adopting a stenting procedure in those infants whose initial trial off was equivocal, a second cannulation may be prevented in neonatal patients with recurrent persistent pulmonary hypertension.