Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
The Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Program at Children's of Alabama provides advanced life support for infants, children, and adolescents with severe heart and/or lung failure when conventional medical therapies are no longer effective. ECMO temporarily takes over the work of the heart and lungs, allowing time to rest and recover while providing life-sustaining oxygen delivery and circulation.
ECMO is reserved for patients with life-threatening cardiac or respiratory failure whose predicted chance of survival without extracorporeal support is extremely low. Our experienced multidisciplinary team carefully evaluates each patient to determine whether ECMO offers the best opportunity for recovery.
Since the program's inception in 1987, Children's of Alabama has supported more than 1,200 infants and children with ECMO, making us one of the most experienced pediatric ECMO centers in the Southeast. Today, we care for approximately 50–60 ECMO patients each year and remain the only pediatric ECMO center in Alabama.
Patients ranging from newborns through 18 years of age receive ECMO support in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), and Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU). Common conditions requiring ECMO include severe respiratory failure, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, meconium aspiration syndrome, severe pneumonia or sepsis, congenital and acquired heart disease, cardiac failure before or after surgery, and cardiac arrest requiring Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR).
Children's of Alabama is equipped with state-of-the-art ECMO technology and provides care in specialized ICU environments designed to support both critically ill children and their families. Family-centered care remains at the heart of our program, with dedicated spaces that allow loved ones to remain at the bedside throughout the patient's journey whenever possible.
Our ECMO program is led by a highly specialized multidisciplinary team that includes pediatric and congenital heart surgeons, pediatric intensivists, neonatologists, critical care nurse practitioners, ECMO specialists and primers, perfusionists, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, rehabilitation therapists, nutritionists, social workers, and many other healthcare professionals working together to provide comprehensive, compassionate care. Our ECMO specialists undergo rigorous initial training and ongoing competency assessment to ensure the highest standards of patient safety and clinical excellence.
Children's of Alabama has been recognized by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) as a Center of Excellence since 2013, earning the prestigious Award for Excellence in Life Support. This international designation recognizes ECMO programs that demonstrate the highest standards of patient care, safety, quality improvement, education, and clinical outcomes. As an active member of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO), Children's of Alabama is committed to delivering evidence-based care, participating in national quality benchmarking, advancing ECMO education, and continually improving outcomes for the children and families we serve.
For more information, contact Martha McBride MSN, CRNP, CES-P, Department Director at 205-638-9962 and/or Mallory Stewart, BSN, CCRN, CES-P, ECMO Coordinator at 205-638-9145.
A Prenatal Tour can be arranged for parents with prenatal diagnosis that may require ECMO Support after discussion with your OB / Pediatric Surgeon or Cardiac team.
