• K Khambekar, S Nichani, D K Luyt, G Peek, R K Firmin, D J Field, and H C Pandya.
• Department of Neonataology, University Hospitals Leicester, Leicester, UK.
• Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2006 Jan 1; 91 (1): F21-5.

ObjectiveTo describe the later health status of newborn infants who received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for acute respiratory failure in the era after the UK ECMO trial.DesignProspective follow up study of newborn infants who received ECMO at a single centre between January 1997 and January 2001.SettingDepartments of ECMO and Paediatric Intensive Care, University Hospitals of Leicester.PatientsAll babies who received ECMO within 14 days of birth.InterventionsNeurodevelopment screening using the schedule for growing skills-II (SGS-II) assessment tool.Main Outcome MeasuresSurvival at 12 months of age by disease and functional development at follow up.ResultsA total of 145 neonates received ECMO for treatment of respiratory failure. Of these, 108 (75%) were alive at 1 year of age. There were no deaths in children treated for respiratory failure secondary to meconium aspiration syndrome (73/145). Ninety three (86% of survivors) infants attended a follow up visit at 11-19 months postnatal age. Eighty two were classed as normal, seven as having "impairment", and four as having "severe disability".ConclusionsMost newborn infants with acute respiratory failure treated with ECMO will have a normal neurodevelopment screening assessment at 11-19 months of postnatal age. There is no evidence to suggest that changes in neonatal practice since the UK ECMO trial have led to changes in outcome of infants undergoing ECMO therapy.

15 keywords...

hide…