ECMO is similar to a heart-lung by pass machine used for open heart surgery. Extra corporeal means 'outside the body'. A membrane oxygenator is a piece of equipment which delivers oxygen into the child's blood. It is literally a temporary artificial lung and heart for the child.
ECMO can only help children whose lung and/or heart disease is reversible within about two weeks.
Dark blood (containing little oxygen) drains by gravity from your child through a tube (cannula) placed in a vein on the side of their neck. This tube is inserted in the intensive care unit during a short operation performed at your child’s bedside. A light anaesthetic is given so your child does not feel any pain. A second tube is often needed, inserted into an artery on the side of their neck, to return the blood. The pump (which acts as an artificial heart) pushes blood through the rest of the ECMO circuit. Blood is pumped into the oxygenator (which acts as an artificial lung) where it is cleared of carbon dioxide and picks up oxygen. Once the blood leaves the oxygenator, it is warmed in a heat exchanger and returned to your child. This oxygenated blood will appear bright red in colour. This process goes on continuously while your child is on ECMO. They will also stay on a ventilator but all the settings will be lower than before.
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