Awake Neonatal Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used in patients with acute respiratory failure that is not responsive to conventional management. The practice of awake ECMO has become an area of interest but with limited data and experience. Most reported experience comes from adult and pediatric populations. Traditional management of these patients still includes mechanical ventilator support and often requires the use of sedatives for provision of safe care. We present a series of eight neonates who were electively extubated while on ECMO, with expanded discussion of two representative cases. We discuss the rationale for extubation and outcomes. The greatest benefit of this management was seen in patients with significant air leak, and in no reported case did we experience any adverse effects or complications as a direct result of extubation while on ECMO. In conclusion, in our experience, awake neonatal ECMO appears safe and effective and may offer significant advantages over traditional management in certain clinical scenarios. Prospective comparison trials are warranted to further investigate the clinical benefits and risks of awake neonatal ECMO.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a Pediatric Patient with Hepatopulmonary Syndrome and Interrupted Inferior Vena Cava After Living Related Liver Donation.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used for cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) occurs in the setting of liver failure and may cause hypoxemia. Previous reports have described the use of ECMO for HPS after liver transplant. Our patient is a 19-month-old female with biliary atresia, an interrupted inferior vena cava, and HPS on 8 liters per minute of high-flow oxygen. Following liver transplantation, her postoperative course was complicated by severe hypoxemia requiring ECMO. Due to her interrupted inferior vena cava, our standard bi-caval cannula could not be used. Hence, a 16-French double lumen venovenous right internal jugular to right atrial cannula was used to provide extracorporeal life support. She was decannulated after 17 days, remained intubated for 2 days, and weaned to room air over the next 3 weeks. This is the third pediatric liver transplant patient supported with ECMO identified in the literature, and the youngest and smallest of those reported. This approach to cannulation is unique because of the use of a double lumen venovenous cannula for HPS in a child, selected due to complex anatomy. Posttransplant ECMO may provide pediatric patients with HPS and posttransplant hypoxemia a period of support for their pulmonary remodeling and recovery from HPS.

Pediatric Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Patient With Traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage and Takotsubo Syndrome.

Takotsubo syndrome is rare in pediatric patients but must be considered in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage with pulmonary edema and cardiomyopathy. A systematic, collaborative approach is needed to facilitate emergent transfer of patients where extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (e-CPR) is used as a lifesaving measure. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use in transport requires preplanning, role delineation, resources, and research efforts to be successful. We present an unusual transport case of successful e-CPR/ECMO treatment of Takotsubo syndrome in a 12-year-old boy with an isolated traumatic intracranial injury, cardiomyopathy with pulmonary edema, and multiple cardiac arrests.

Emergent Interhospital Transport of Pediatric Patient With a Berlin Heart Device.

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) for the mechanical support of cardiac failure are being used more frequently in children of increasingly younger age. These children have significant and multiple medical comorbidities, and their length of hospital stay has been increasing. As this population of hospitalized VAD-supported children increases, so does the possibility of their need for interfacility transport for specialized diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Reports on such transports are limited to 3 children who underwent scheduled elective transfers. We report our experience with a child with a Berlin Heart EXCOR left ventricular assist device (Berlin Heart, Berlin, Germany) who required emergent interfacility transport between our hospital and an affiliated institution.

First use of an intra-pericardial continuous flow ventricular assist device in a child with muscular dystrophy.

Heart failure is a common cause of death in patients with muscular dystrophy. Mechanical support may be an important component of long-term heart failure therapy in these patients. We present a report of a child with muscular dystrophy successfully implanted with a Heartware HVAD.

The voice advisory manikin (VAM): an innovative approach to pediatric lay provider basic life support skill education.

AIM: To determine the efficacy of immediate, standardized, corrective audio feedback training as supplied by the voice advisory manikin (VAM) compared to high quality standardized instructor feedback training for the initial acquisition of 1-rescuer lay provider pediatric BLS skills. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lay care providers of hospitalized children 8-18 years were randomized to VAM (n=23) or standardized human instruction (SHI, n=27) training in one-rescuer pediatric BLS. After an identical video/instructor introduction to CPR and 20 min of training in their respective group, quantitative CPR psychomotor skill data was recorded during 3-min CPR testing epochs. All manikins used in training and testing sessions were identical in outside appearance and feel of doing CPR. The primary outcome measure was CPR psychomotor skill success defined prospectively as 70% correct chest compressions (CC) and ventilations (V). Subjects not attaining these success goals retrained for 5 min in their respective training group and were retested. Data analysis using student t-test and chi2-tests as appropriate. RESULTS: VAM trainees delivered more total CC/min (58.7+/-7.9 versus 47.6+/-10.5, p<0.001), correct CC/min (47.9+/-15.7 versus 31.2+/-16.0, p<0.001), total V/min (7.8+/-1.2 versus 6.4+/-1.4, p<0.001), and correct V/min (5.4+/-1.9 versus 3.1+/-1.6, p<0.001). Overall error rates per individual were lower in VAM trainees for chest compressions (18.1+/-23.2% versus 34.9+/-28.8%, p<0.03) and ventilations (32.0+/-19.7% versus 50.7+/-24.1%, p<0.005). More VAM (12/23, 52%) than SHI (1/26, 4%) trainees passed the initial skill tests (p