Preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in newborns with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection

This report describes three neonates who were supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation before surgical correction of total anomalous pulmona ry venous connection. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was initially use d to treat preoperative end-organ failure and suspected persistent pulmonar y hypertension. All patients underwent surgical correction of total anomalo us pulmonary venous connection after 8, 4 and 4 days of preoperative suppor t, respectively. Two of these patients required extracorporeal membrane oxy genation after surgery; one died from bleeding while the other was weaned f rom extracorporeal membrane oxygenation on day 8 and discharged from the ho spital. These results show that veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxyge nation represents a life-saving perioperative means for supporting moribund neonates with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection and is effective in improving preoperative patient's condition. (C) 1999 The International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.