What are the risks involved in ECMO?
Children who require ECMO are very ill and would normally die without it. Although every safety measure is taken there are risks associated with ECMO support. There is a possibility that the ECMO circuit can malfunction or problems occur such as infection, blood clots or air bubbles. The most common complications involve the neurological system. A small percentage of ECMO survivors can have neurodevelopment problems ranging from mild learning difficulties to severe neurological impairment.
