Mechanical cardiac support in the young. Short-term support: ECMO.

Although based on technology developed several decades ago, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) retains great clinical relevance in the management of advanced pediatric cardiorespiratory disease. Largely because of its widespread use in pediatric patients with respiratory failure, familiarity with this technology has established ECMO as the most commonly used form of mechanical circulatory support in children. Clinical applications and technical aspects of ECMO support continue to evolve, ensuring the ongoing importance of this modality for pediatric circulatory support.