The machine is turned down until it is doing only a small portion of the work. At this time we may try to take your child off ECMO and measure the level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood to see if the lungs are ready to work. While your child is on ECMO he receives a medicine called heparin. Heparin keeps your child's blood from clotting in the ECMO circuit. When your child is taken off ECMO the heparin is stopped, and the time it takes your child's blood to clot will return to normal in a few hours.
Babies are on ECMO for an average of five days.
Older children and some infants may be on ECMO for weeks. The doctor and team determine how long it should take for your child to get better, but the time needed to recover is not always known. All Rights Reserved.