Pediatric ECMO Program
Established in 1989, The ECMO program at Monroe Carell has helped more than 1,200 patients on ECMO, averaging about 60 per year. Our ECMO program can serve up to seven patients at once.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is a method of long-term lung and/or heart support for infants and children who are in severe pulmonary (lung) or cardiac (heart) failure.
Here are some of the ways we use ECMO at Monroe Carell.
- Treating respiratory failure due to severe pneumonia, status asthmaticus, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and other causes
- Treating newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia or meconium aspiration
- Used along with hemodialysis for infants with inborn errors of metabolism
- Supporting patients in cardiac failure
- Assisting with Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)
Contact Daphne Hardison, RN, MSN, CNML
ECMO Manager
(615) 322-0519
Conditions We Treat
Why You Can Trust the ECMO Program at Monroe Carell
- Pediatric heart excellence
The Pediatric Heart Institute at Monroe Carell is recognized as one of the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report. Our high-quality care and specialized disease management earned accreditation by the Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF). The American Society of Extracorporeal Technology (AmSECT) has recognized Monroe Carell as a Perfusion Center of Excellence with the 2022 Pillar Award. We are one of only seven children's hospitals in the nation to earn this honor. Our program is also recognized as an Aetna Pediatric Heart Disease Center of Excellence.
- Coordinated care
We work as a team to ensure your child receives the most comprehensive heart care available. From general and fetal cardiologists to cardiac surgeons and critical care specialists, Monroe Carell is here to help your child in their health care journey. As part of a comprehensive academic medical center with one of the top heart programs in the world, we also provide seamless transition of care from childhood into adulthood.
- ECMO experience
The ECMO Program at Monroe Carell, the only one of its kind in Middle Tennessee, has been in existence since 1989. Our team has a combined clinical experience of more than 300 years. It includes registered nurses and registered respiratory therapists who serve as ECMO specialists. They are ready without delay to provide services 24 hours per day, every day of the year. Each shift is staffed with at least three ECMO Specialists. Monroe Carell also has Tennessee’s first ECMO-capable pediatric transport service.
- Recognized excellence in ECMO
Our program is a member of Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) data registry for national and international ECMO Centers. Since 2008, Monroe Carell's ECMO Program has been recognized as an ELSO Center of Excellence. We were awarded this honor at the Platinum level in 2023 for our commitment to patient quality and outcomes, training and collaboration.
