Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)

What to Expect When Your Child Receives ECMO

• Comfort: Your child will receive medication to relieve pain or discomfort. The circulation of blood through the ECMO machine 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 extremely 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 nutrition 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 his or her heart and lung problems and progress. We will keep you posted on how your child is doing during ECMO therapy.