Pediatr Crit Care Me
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Apr 2024
Formal Ethics Consultation in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Patients: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort of a Quaternary Pediatric Hospital.
To examine characteristics associated with formal ethics consultation (EC) referral in pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) cases, and document ethical issues presented. ⋯ EC was used in 4.5% of our pediatric ECMO cases, with most ethical issues related to end-of-life care or ECMO discontinuation. Older age, longer ICU LOS, prolonged runs, and multiple procedures/complications were associated with greater odds for EC requests. These data highlight our single-center experience of ECMO-associated ethical dilemmas. Historical referral patterns may guide a supported decision-making framework. Future work will need to include quality improvement projects for timely EC, with evaluation of impacts on relevant endpoints.