TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Chapter 109. Life Support Systems A1 - FontáN, Julio PéRez A2 - Rudolph, Colin D. A2 - Rudolph, Abraham M. A2 - Lister, George E. A2 - First, Lewis R. A2 - Gershon, Anne A. Y1 - 2011 N1 - T2 - Rudolph's Pediatrics, 22e AB - The past three decades have seen immense advances in the technologies used to replace the functions of failing organs or systems. During this time, mechanical ventilation has evolved from being used only as a last rite, when there was little hope of survival, to being a widely used and versatile technique that allows thousands of patients to recover from respiratory failure every year. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), reintroduced into neonatal and pediatric intensive care medicine in the 1980s, is rapidly reaching similar status, as its indications and, perhaps more importantly, its limitations are better defined. More recently, external and implantable ventricular assist devices have undergone sufficient development to become viable alternatives for the continued support of patients with severe circulatory dysfunction, often as a bridge toward cardiac transplantation. While these technologies offer many possibilities, intensive care specialists must use them wisely by carefully selecting the patients who can benefit, by providing patients and families with realistic assessments of their potential, and by carefully evaluating the results to define better indications and to improve efficacy. SN - PB - The McGraw-Hill Companies CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=6720829 ER -