• H Bartsch, H Kössel, G Brummer, W Philippi, J Waldschmidt, K Eyrich, and H Versmold.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Surgical Intensive Care Medicine, Benjamin Franklin University Hospital, Berlin, Germany.
• Int J Artif Organs. 1995 Oct 1; 18 (10): 565-8.

AbstractBefore the entry criteria for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are met, newborns may require aggressive mechanical ventilation which may result in lung injury. The question arises whether the presence of a pneumothorax in these infants plays a role in the prognosis. Of the 21 newborns transferred to our hospital for ECMO, 8 were treated with ECMO. 9 of the 21 newborns developed a pneumothorax with conventional ventilation and 6 of these 9 newborns subsequently required ECMO. Infants who developed a pneumothorax but did not meet ECMO criteria and remained in the oxygenation index (OI) range between 25 and 40 for more than 2 days had a poorer prognosis. If adequate oxygenation cannot be attained with acceptable mechanical ventilation and a more aggressive ventilation results in a pneumothorax, ECMO should be considered even if the oxygenation index is below 40.

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