Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support in Children With Hematologic Malignancies in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used in severe respiratory and/or circulatory failure when conventional critical care fails. Studies on patients with hematologic malignancies on ECMO have shown contradictory results; immunosuppression and coagulopathy are relative contraindications to ECMO. OBSERVATIONS: This nationwide Swedish retrospective chart review identified 958 children with hematologic malignancies of whom 12 (1.3%) required ECMO support. Eight patients survived ECMO, 7 the total intensive care period, and 6 survived the underlying malignancy.
CONCLUSIONS: ECMO may be considered in children with hematologic malignancy. Short-term and long-term survival, in this limited group, was similar to that of children on ECMO at large.