Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Restrictive and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Single Center Experience.

Patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) were previously considered poor candidates for mechanical circulatory support due to technical limitations related to restrictive ventricular physiology and small ventricular size, limiting the ability to provide adequate flows and decompress the heart. Literature examining use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in this population consists of a single case series reporting no survivors. We report our experience providing ECMO in children with RCM or HCM at a large pediatric quaternary cardiac center.

Tracheostomy Timing During Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care: Single Referral Center Retrospective Cohort.

Objectives: To describe associations between the timing of tracheostomy and patient characteristics or outcomes in the cardiac ICU (CICU).

Design: Single-institution retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Freestanding academic children's hospital.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Candidacy Decisions: An Argument for a Process-Based Longitudinal Approach.

Are all children extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) candidates? Navigating ECMO decisions represents an enormous challenge in pediatric critical care. ECMO cannulation should not be a default option as it will not confer benefit for "all" critically ill children; however, "all" children deserve well-considered decisions surrounding their ECMO candidacy. The complexity of the decision demands a systematic, "well-reasoned" and "dynamic" approach.

Decision-Making, Ethics, and End-of-Life Care in Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Comprehensive Narrative Review.

Objectives: Pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We sought to summarize literature on communication and decision-making, end-of-life care, and ethical issues to identify recommended approaches and highlight knowledge gaps.

Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library.