Resuscitaton in near drowning with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

We report a case of near drowning of a 3-year-old girl, who was admitted to our emergency room with a core temperature of 18.4 degreesC. After rewarmi ng on cardiopulmonary bypass and restitution of her circulation, respirator y failure resistant to conventional respiratory therapy prohibited weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass. Therefore, we instituted extracorporeal membra ne oxygenation (ECMO). Fifteen hours later, she could be weaned from ECMO b ut required assisted ventilation for another 12 days. Twenty months later t here are no neurologic deficits. (C) 2001 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeo ns.