Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is a method of long-term lung and/or heart support in infants, children and adults with severe pulmonary and/or cardiac failure. Established in 1989, we have placed more than 800 patients on ECMO.

ECMO is used to treat infants, children and adults in respiratory failure from severe pneumonia, status asthmaticus to neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia or meconium aspiration. It has also been used to treat infants and children in cardiac failure, as well as being used as a conduit for hemodialysis for infants with inborn errors of metabolism. Currently, the ECMO program at Children's Hospital has the capacity to run four ECMO patients at one time.

Our program is a member of Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) data registry for national and international ECMO Centers. ELSO monitors quality standards for 151 member ECMO services around the world.  For the past four years, ELSO has recognized our program as a Center of Excellence.  

Contact Us
Daphne Hardison, R.N., B.S.N.
ECMO Manager
(615) 322-0519