Texas medicine
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Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been a successful treatment (80% survival) in over 3,000 neonates with severe respiratory failure (80% predicted mortality without ECMO). ECMO is prolonged extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass achieved by extrathoracic vascular cannulation using a modified heart-lung machine. ⋯ Of 116 Texas neonates treated with ECMO, 74% survived. Because of the distances between ECMO programs in Texas, early communication with the nearest center is highly recommended.