OBJECTIVE OF STUDY: Evaluation of success of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, EMCO) in the treatment of acute respiratory failure in mature neonates.TYPE OF STUDY: Clinical pilot study of the EMCO centre.SETTING: Institute for the Care of Mother and Child, Prague.MATERIAL AND METHOD: In 12 consecutive patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome and/or circulatory failure of different etiology who met the indication criteria the method of venoarterial EMCO was used.RESULTS: Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was successful in 75% patients who survived. Four patients died (1x syndrome of cerebral death associated with severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, 2x severe irreversible haemorrhage, into the abdominal and thoracic cavity, 1x periventricular intraventricular haemorrhage grade III.). The mean period of EMCO was 71.4 +/- 31.7 hours (range 25-130 hours). On comparison of the surviving group (S) and the non-surviving group (NS) there was a significant difference in the necessity of continuous inotropic adrenaline support during EMCO. In patients who died necropsy confirmed irreversible multiorgan failure.CONCLUSION: In indicated cases extracorporeal membrane oxygenation remains the method of choice in critically ill mature neonates. A prognostically adverse factor is the necessity of inotropic support and haemodialysis during EMCO.
Acute Disease Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation