FOLLOW-UP IN NEONATAL EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE-OXYGENATION (ECMO)

In 34 survivors of the first 43 ECMO patients from our institution bef ore discharge to another hospital or home an EEG, BAER, Head Ultrasono graphy, cerebral CT scan, Dubowitz score and ophthalmological inspecti on were performed. At one year of age Mental Developmental Index of th e Bayley scales, Motor Quotient as well as pulmonary and neurological status were assessed. In 29 patients follow-up took place in our hospi tal. In 17 of them (59%) all tests before discharge were normal, 2 pat ients (7%) showed an abnormal BAER, an additional 5 patients (17%) had abnormal EEG and 2 patients (7%) had abnormal HUS in combination with abnormal cerebral CT scan. In 19 patients (33%) the Dubowitz score wa s abnormal at discharge. At one year of age neurological status was no rmal in 25 (86%) patients, respiratory status was normal in 22 (76%) a nd Mental Development Index was > 80 in 23 of the patients (79%). A si gnificant correlation between Mental Development Index and Motor Quoti ent was found r=0.50, p=0.0065. It is concluded that more than one abn ormal neurophysiological test before discharge may identify patients w ith additional risks for adverse outcome and that the respiratory stat us influenced psychomotor development at one year of age.