Australia unveils Kids ECMO Referral Service in New South Wales

It enables extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to be delivered on the road.

The Australian government has launched a new Kids ECMO Referral Service (KERS) in New South Wales to provide critical care for paediatric patients.

KERS, hosted by the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, allows extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to be provided during transport using specialised mobile equipment and retrieval teams.

The therapy utilises a mechanical pump to take blood from the patient, remove carbon dioxide, add oxygen, and recirculate it through the body.

Moreover, it is designed to manage conditions such as severe infections, sepsis, influenza, enterovirus, and other serious heart and lung diseases in neonatal and paediatric patients.