Rapid cardiopulmonary support for children with complex congenital heart disease.
BACKGROUND
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has limitations in children with congenital heart disease (prolonged setup times, increased postoperative blood loss, and difficulty during transport). We developed a miniaturized cardiopulmonary support circuit to address these limitations.


METHODS
The cardiopulmonary support system includes a preassembled, completely heparin-coated circuit, a BP-50 Bio-Medicus centrifugal pump, a Minimax plus membrane oxygenator, a Bio-Medicus flow probe, and a Bio-trend hematocrit/oxygen saturation monitor. Short tubing length permits a 250-mL bloodless prime in less than 5 minutes. From 1995 to 1997, 23 children with congenital heart disease were supported with this technique.


RESULTS
Overall survival to discharge was 48% (11 of 23 patients). Survival to discharge was 80% (4 of 5) in the preoperative support group, 20% (1 of 5) in the postoperative failure to wean from cardiopulmonary bypass group, 44% (4 of 9) in the group placed on support postoperatively after transfer to the intensive care unit, and 50% (2 of 4 patients) in the nonoperative group. Neonatal cardiopulmonary support survival to discharge was 46% (6 of 13 patients).


CONCLUSIONS
This pediatric cardiopulmonary support system is safe and effective. Advantages over conventional extracorporeal membrane oxygenation include rapid setup time, decreased postoperative blood loss, and simplified transport.
Jacobs
J P
JP
Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Miami Children's Hospital, Florida, USA. jjacobs1@compuserve.com
Ojito
J W
JW
McConaghey
T W
TW
Boden
B D
BD
Chang
A C
AC
Aldousany
A
A
Zahn
E M
EM
Burke
R P
RP
D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D004867:Equipment Design; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D014187:Transportation of Patients; D016896:Treatment Outcome