Criteria for accepting a neonate for ECMO therapy:
(1) gestational age > 35 weeks
(2) birth weight > 2,000 grams
(3) oxygenation index > 40
(4) absence of major chromosomal abnormalities
(5) absence of significant intraventricular hemorrhage
(6) failure of aggressive critical care management (according to the specialists caring for the neonate)
where:
• The oxygenation index is the mean airway pressure in cm H2O divided by the PaO2-to-FIO2 ratio (see 08.07.12).
Additional items that should be considered (but not listed in the "Methods" section):
(1) absence of serious, uncorrectable malformations or comorbid conditions
(2) absence of serious systemic infection
(3) potential for either spontaneous reversal or surgical correction of the underlying disease processes necessitating the use of ECMO
