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Intra‐operative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use in pediatric lung transplantation – The Zurich experience
Author(s) -
Zuercher Alice J.,
Inci Ilhan,
Benden Christian,
Fretz Gregory,
Béchir Markus,
Boehler Annette,
Weder Walter
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
pediatric transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.457
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1399-3046
pISSN - 1397-3142
DOI - 10.1111/petr.12155
Subject(s) - medicine , extracorporeal membrane oxygenation , lung transplantation , demographics , surgery , lung , transplantation , demography , sociology
There is a lack of data regarding use of ECMO in children undergoing lung transplantation. We evaluated our experience of ECMO in pediatric lung transplant recipients. All patients (<18 yr) who underwent lung transplants between 1997 and 2011 were included (17 children; nine males; median age 16 yr), and the use of intra‐operative ECMO evaluated. Transplant procedures were carried out with intra‐operative ECMO in seven children (all bilateral lung transplants). Demographics of ECMO and non‐ ECMO patients were comparable. One child was already on ECMO pre‐operative. Lung graft size reduction was undertaken in five ECMO and four non‐ ECMO cases, respectively. Five patients were taken off ECMO intra‐operatively; the other patients were weaned off ECMO within 48 h post‐operatively. Three‐months survival was 100%. By 12 months post‐transplantation, one patient each died in the ECMO and in the non‐ ECMO group. At the end of the study, six of seven ECMO cases were still alive (median survival 48.5 months); one patient required a retransplant at 53 months. Our small case series suggests that lung transplant procedures can be safely carried out in selected children on intra‐operative ECMO support; however, our pediatric experience regarding this scenario is very limited but probably almost unique.