Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)

Caring for young, delicate hearts and lungs requires special expertise. NewYork-Presbyterian is one of a few centers in the tri-state area to offer extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), an artificial heart and lung system that supports critically-ill newborns, children, and teens whose hearts or lungs are ill. The ECMO programs at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children's Hospital ECMO allow the heart and lungs to rest and heal while our doctors treat the underlying cause of your child's illness.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center has been a designated Platinum Center of Excellence awarded by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization since 2016.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center has been a designated Platinum Center of Excellence, the highest honor awarded by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization, since 2016 for its commitment to exceptional patient care, in-depth education processes, specialized equipment, and high-quality standards.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center received the Gold Level Center of Excellence Award from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization, recognizing its outstanding life support program.

About Our Program

NewYork-Presbyterian was among the first centers in the country to offer ECMO therapy for infants with severe respiratory failure who cannot be treated successfully with conventional therapies. Today, we have the largest ECMO program in the tri-state area and have among the best survival rates nationally and internationally.

At our two children's hospitals, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children's Hospital, multidisciplinary teams of experts collaborate to provide your child with the most advanced ECMO care. Your child's team may include critical care physicians, ECMO physicians and surgeons, cardiologists, neonatologists (newborn care specialists), nurses and nurse practitioners, perfusionists, respiratory therapists, neurologists, palliative care specialists, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, skin care specialists, and child life specialists.

Our pediatric ECMO teams have extensive experience providing this therapy for various conditions in children of all ages. This includes newborns with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia and meconium aspiration, children with acute respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension, cardiomyopathy, and congenital heart disease. We also provide ECMO for children awaiting heart or lung transplants.

ECMO is provided in our Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU), Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Units (PCICU), and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital's NICU also includes an Infant Cardiac Unit for newborns with congenital heart disease. Our ICUs are equipped with the most up-to-date ECMO and ICU technology and therapies available to offer your child the best chance of survival and a good quality of life.

What is ECMO?

Typically when your child breathes, the lungs provide oxygen to the blood, and carbon dioxide is removed. The heart is the pump that delivers well-oxygenated blood to your child's entire body. ECMO works as an "artificial heart and lung" by providing oxygen to your child when the lungs cannot do so and moving blood throughout the body when the heart cannot do so.

The ECMO device adds oxygen to and removes carbon dioxide from your child's blood outside the body and returns the blood to your child — effectively doing the work of the lungs and/or heart when they are too impaired to do so. By taking the workload off the lungs and heart, ECMO lets these organs heal.

A surgeon will place one or more plastic tubes through large blood vessels in your child's neck, leg, or chest. Your child will receive pain medication, sedation, and other medications to ensure comfort. Depending on your child's condition and needs, we will use one of two ECMO approaches:

Venovenous (VV) ECMO, which we use when the heart works well, but the lungs need time to rest and heal.
Venoarterial (VA) ECMO, which we use when the heart and the lungs need time to rest and heal.

Conditions we treat with ECMO

At NewYork-Presbyterian, we provide ECMO as a treatment option for newborns, children, and adolescents with illnesses and injuries who cannot be successfully treated with conventional medical therapies and may not survive without ECMO. These conditions include (but are not limited to):

Meconium aspiration syndrome (newborns)
Heart failure
Respiratory distress syndrome
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Cardiomyopathy/Myocarditis (infection of the heart)
Sepsis
Pneumonia
Pulmonary hypertension
Any life-threatening heart disorder
Bridge to heart or lung transplantation
Bridge to ventricular assist device

What to Expect When Your Child Receives ECMO

Our expert pediatric ECMO team is here for every phase of your child's care. Here's what to expect when your child receives ECMO:

Comfort: Your child will receive medication to relieve pain or discomfort. The movement of blood through the ECMO machine to your child is not painful.
Touch: You will be able to touch and talk to your child. In fact, your familiar voice and face and the comfort of your touch are helpful and nurturing during your child's care.
Nutrition: We will discuss with you the most appropriate choice of nutrition for your child during ECMO treatment. Your child may receive food intravenously (by vein) and through a tube similar to a nasogastric tube.
Daily Family-Centered Multidisciplinary Updates: All members of your child's team — including critical care physicians, ECMO physicians and surgeons, specialty consultants, and nurses — will update you daily on your child's progress and be available to answer questions.
Length of Treatment: Your child may be on ECMO for a few days to a few weeks, depending on the severity of their heart and lung problems and progress. We will keep you posted on how your child is doing during ECMO therapy.

Our Approach to Care

Holistic and Comprehensive Care

We recognize that every child with a critical illness has unique symptoms, circumstances, and needs. We take a holistic approach to care that considers the entire patient, including her physical, emotional, and social factors. We strive to partner with patients and families in shared decision-making, empowering them with knowledge, support, and the most effective treatment options to achieve the best possible outcome for every child.

Multidisciplinary Team Approach

Caring for young, delicate hearts and lungs requires the collaboration of specialists who maximize every aspect of your child's care. Our multidisciplinary pediatric ECMO team includes critical care physicians, ECMO physicians and surgeons, cardiologists, neonatologists (newborn care specialists), nurses and nurse practitioners, perfusionists, respiratory therapists, neurologists, palliative care specialists, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, skin care specialists, and child life specialists. Together, they provide the most advanced ECMO care in a comfortable setting for your child and family.

Empowering You with Information, Support, and Guidance

Having a critically ill child in the hospital can be an overwhelming and isolating experience for you and your child. Our team is here for you through every phase of care. We work closely with you to ensure that you and your child always feel supported and empowered. We do this by supplying you with the most current information on all treatment options, guidance, and support that will enable you to make the best decisions for your child's health and well-being.

Parents As Team Members

As a parent, only you can provide important information about your child. You can also help other team members shape your child's personalized treatment program based on your child's physical, emotional, and practical needs. Your input is critical for making final decisions regarding your child's care, and our multidisciplinary team is here to work alongside you and your family to achieve the greatest possible outcomes for your child.

24/7 Patient Transfers

When appropriate, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital can dispatch its highly skilled Mobile ECMO Transport Team to facilitate a timely transport of your child to the hospital. The team's ambulance has advanced equipment, such as a portable ECMO machine and specially trained paramedics. Working with other transport team members — including the intensive care physician, ECMO surgeon, and perfusionist — the team brings the services of an intensive care unit to patients to provide the safest possible transport to our hospital.

Why Choose Us

Nationally Ranked Children's Hospitals

NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children's Hospital are among the nation's leading centers for diagnosing and treating childhood diseases. They are major referral centers for complex and rare disorders in infants, children, and adolescents.

World-Renowned ECMO Expertise

NewYork-Presbyterian has exceptional experience using ECMO in children and adults. Our researchers have conducted important studies that have advanced the understanding and applications of ECMO in our field. We apply this knowledge to provide your child with the best life-saving care.

International ECMO Accreditation

NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital have been designated Platinum Center of Excellence by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) since 2016. The Platinum level, ELSO's highest honor, signifies a commitment to exceptional patient care, established policies, and protocols, in-depth education processes for staff and families, specialized equipment, and high-quality standards.

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