Postcardiotomy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with congenital heart disease; the effect of place of initiation.

Background: Postcardiotomy extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in pediatric patients can be affected by the place of initiation, either in the operating room (OR) or the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU). This study aimed to characterize and compare patients who had postcardiotomy ECMO initiation in the OR or PCICU and evaluate risk factors for hospital mortality.

Methods: This retrospective study included 103 patients who required postcardiotomy ECMO support after the repair of congenital cardiac lesions from 2010 to 2022.