Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is a form of long-term heart-lung bypass used to treat infants, children, and adults in cardiac and/or respiratory failure despite maximal medical therapy.

The ECMO program at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt has been in existence since 1989. Since its inception, the ECMO program at Vanderbilt has been used to treat over 575 patients.  ECMO has been used to treat children and adults in respiratory failure from ARDS, pneumonia, status asthmaticus, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and other causes. It has also been used to treat 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 4 ECMO patients at one time.

To read about how ECMO saved 18-month-old Rezan Omer, click the following link: ECMO gives the sickest patients a fighting chance.

For more information on ECMO resources at Children’s Hospital, contact the ECMO Coordinators at 615-322-0519 or you may email:

Daphne Hardison, RN BSN 
daphne.hardison@vanderbilt.edu

Cindy Thomason, RN
cindy.thomason@vanderbilt.edu