You are the physician on call for the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) service. There are 5 calls today, but only one machine and one technologist available. Which of the following patients is the most appropriate recipient of this service?
Correct Answer: A 3-day-old boy preoperative for a congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Description: ECMO is a form of cardiopulmonary suppo that is useful in the setting of potentially reversible pulmonary or cardiac disease. Treatment of meconium aspiration syndrome, sepsis, pneumonia, and congenital diaphragmatic hernia (pre- or postoperatively) are thus appropriate uses. The technique is also applicable in some circumstances as a bridge to cardiac or lung transplantation since the outlook for survival is quite good if the child can be maintained in a good physiological state until donor organs are available. Hypoplastic lungs do not have enough surface area to perform adequate gas exchange and are unlikely to mature to a point where they can sustain life. Babies with hypoplastic lungs will be bypass-dependent for life and consequently are not candidates for institution of ECMO therapy.
Category:
Anaesthesia
Get More
Subject Mock Tests
Practice with over 200,000 questions from various medical subjects and improve your knowledge.
Attempt a mock test nowMock Exam
Take an exam with 100 random questions selected from all subjects to test your knowledge.
Coming SoonGet More
Subject Mock Tests
Try practicing mock tests with over 200,000 questions from various medical subjects.
Attempt a mock test now