title: Improving accessibility to lung transplantation for children through air transport.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are a limited number of pediatric lung transplant programs in the United States; therefore, geographical barriers limit critically ill children who may be good candidates for lung transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  With advancements in technology, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is becoming an option to bridge children requiring advanced life support to lung transplantation and offers the opportunity to transport critically ill children to pediatric lung transplant centers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Air transport services with rotor-wing and fixed-wing aircraft were successfully developed and quickly became as a vital component of our pediatric lung transplant program offering ECMO for both transport and as a bridge to lung transplantation to children throughout the United States.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Air transport services can be an important component of pediatric lung transplant programs to offer this advanced treatment to children.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pulmonary Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH; Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH; Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Electronic address: hayes.705@osu.edu.
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: Department of Perfusion and ECMO, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH; Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH; Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galantowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH; Department of Anesthesiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Joseph D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Tobias
authors.affiliation: Section of Pulmonary Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Corinne R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Office of Regional Development, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Gil
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Peri
mesh_terms: D017732:Air Ambulances; D002648:Child; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / Q000379:methods; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States