What is the goal of ECMO?
The goal of ECMO is to insure that your child’s body has enough oxygen by taking over the workload of reversible heart and/or lung disorders. ECMO will not heal your child’s heart or the lungs, but it will allow time for them to rest and recover. Your child can be on ECMO for several days to a few weeks. When the heart or the lungs have healed and can work on their own, the support from ECMO is gradually removed. Children with severe but reversible heart or lung disorders that have not responded to the usual treatments of mechanical ventilation, medications and oxygen therapy are candidates for ECMO.
