Extracorporeal Life Support in Patients with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: How Long Should We Treat?

Abstract

In patients with severe CDH, improvement in pulmonary function sufficient to wean from ECMO can take 4 weeks or longer, and might require a second ECMO run. Pulmonary outcomes in these CDH patients can still be excellent, and the assignment of arbitrary ECMO treatment durations <4 weeks should be avoided.