Ventilator management of infants before extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

The aim of this project was to review the course of infants referred for consideration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to identify maximal ventilator settings that, when exceeded, did not provide clinical benefit to the patient. These settings might then be used in defining failure of conventional mechanical ventilation. We reviewed referral records and hospital charts of all infants treated for severe respiratory failure due to meconium aspiration syndrome during the 52.

Unilateral pulmonary agenesis without mediastinal displacement.

A radiographic hallmark in pulmonary agenesis is opacification of the ipsilateral hemithorax with displacement of the mediastinum in the direction of the agenetic lung. We believe this case report is the first in which the mediastinum was not displaced; instead, the liver and intact hemidiaphragm were displaced cephalad, preventing cardiac malposition. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography enabled us to diagnose this anomaly precisely.

Hidden mortality rate associated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

We reviewed the outcome of all infants referred to, and accepted in, our extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program during a 52-month period. One hundred sixty-seven referrals, representing 158 infants and nine mothers who had not yet delivered their infants, were accepted. Eighteen infants (11.