Intensive Care NSW ECMO project

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a modified heart-lung machine that provides lung and/or heart support in patients with extreme organ dysfunction, refractory to conventional support strategies. It is a highly specialised service provided in specialist tertiary intensive care units, where clinicians with expertise in ECMO are available to support the initiation, ongoing management and post- ECMO patient care.

Download the resources:

ECMO services in NSW – Adult patients: Clinical Practice Guide
This clinical practice guide outlines key areas of ECMO practice for adult patients in NSW.

ECMO services – Adult patients: Organisational Model of Care
The adult ECMO model of care is based on five core principles: structure and organisation, protocols and procedures, appropriate team composition, workforce education and training, and governance and leadership.

ECMO retrieval services in NSW – Neonatal and paediatric patients: Evidence series rapid review
Drawing on experiential and research evidence, this report outlines the neonatal and paediatric ECMO retrieval services in NSW.

ECMO retrieval services – Neonatal and paediatric patients: Organisational Model of Care
The neonatal and paediatric model of care was developed to support delivery of high‑quality ECMO retrieval service. Currently in NSW, there is no dedicated neonate and paediatric ECMO retrieval program.

About the project

ICNSW, with representation from both adult and neonate/paediatric ECMO centres, retrieval services and NSW Ministry of Health, developed this suite of resources to support the delivery of ECMO services in NSW.

They are aimed at informing the NSW Ministry of Health, pillar organisations, Newborn and paediatric Emergency Transport Service (NETS), aeromedical retrieval services, NSW Ambulance, speciality health networks (SHNs) and local health districts (LHDs) to implement world-class care for patients requiring ECMO retrieval.

The documents support the following key principles of high-quality care:

support right care, right place, right time
maintain a strong workforce
communicate effectively
integrate system enablers.

We would like to acknowledge the clinical advice and support provided by the ECMO Advisory Paediatric/Neonatal and Adult Groups that assisted us with this project and the ICNSW team.