Rapid pediatric cardiopulmonary support system.

Emergency cardiopulmonary support (CPS) systems for pediatric patients have not achieved widespread acceptance because they have been limited by extended setup times and large priming volumes requiring blood products. To address these limitations, we developed a miniaturized CPS system which can be rapidly assembled with a small bloodless priming volume. This system was successfully utilized in two infants with congenital heart disease in whom emergent cardiopulmonary support was instituted outside the operating room. The pediatric CPS system proved safe and effective in allowing the salvage of both patients. Further study of this system is warranted to evaluate potential future applications.