Pediatric cardiologists follow children with known heart defects and present them to the pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at a time when surgery is the best recourse.
Sometimes surgical timing depends upon age/weight/medical status of the child, and sometimes it is more urgent, dependent upon the life-threatening nature of some of these problems. Each situation is unique, but in general the cardiologist and cardiothoracic surgeon will talk to you about the nature of the surgery, and the staff will set up a surgery appointment.
The ECMO team performs a critical role in patient health and overall outcome by assisting the entire congenital heart program. In addition to assisting in the operating room, the team works closely with the medical attending and nurses in the intensive care units for the comprehensive care of ECPR/ ECMO.