Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Pediatric Burn Patients: Is Management Improving over Time?

Over the last few decades, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become a lifesaving modality for patients with severe respiratory failure following burn injury. With the advancement in critical care and ECMO management, this study aims to analyze the outcomes of ECMO in pediatric burn patients. The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization database was queried from 1999 to 2018 for patients 18 years old and under with a burn injury. The data were divided into two decades, the first (1999-2008) and the second (2009-2018), for analysis of background characteristics and clinical outcomes. Ninety-five patients met inclusion criteria. The overall use of ECMO increased in the second decade (60 cases) when compared to the first decade (35 cases), and use of venovenous ECMO increased in the second decade from 16 cases to 38 cases. Although more patients survived because of the increased application of venovenous ECMO, the survival rate was unchanged between decades (53.4% vs. 54.3%; P = 0.937). Patients with pre-ECMO cardiac arrest had a significant improvement in mortality during the second decade (54.5% vs. 0%; P = 0.043). Metabolic (P = 0.022) and renal (P = 0.043) complications were most common in nonsurvivors during the first decade whereas cardiovascular (P = 0.031) and neurologic (P = 0.003) complication were higher in the second decade (P = 0.031, 0.003). Use of ECMO after burn injury has become more common; however, overall mortality remains unchanged. The data suggests pre-ECMO cardiac arrest is no longer a contraindication to start ECMO.