Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in the Management of Tumor Lysis Syndrome in Children: A Review of Cases.

Background/

Objectives

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a life-threatening oncologic emergency that occurs in pediatric patients undergoing chemotherapy. Severe complications, including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute kidney injury (AKI), and cardiogenic shock, may require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support.

Methods

This paper is a nonsystematic review of cases that synthesizes available case reports to evaluate the efficacy and outcomes of ECMO in pediatric TLS.

Results

A systematic search identified five cases in which ECMO was used with a mean duration of 14 days. Survival rates were favorable and ECMO played a critical role in bridging these patients through multi-organ failure.

Conclusions

While ECMO is a viable rescue therapy for severe TLS, associated complications, such as infections, bleeding, and neurological impairment, warrant careful patient selection and management. Future studies should explore standardized guidelines for the use of ECMO in pediatric oncology patients.