818 ABO Blood Group Antigen Sensitization of Infants Exposed to Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS)

formed via bilateral mini thoracotomies, the others via clamshell incisions. Size reduction of lung allografts was undertaken in 5 ECMO and 4 nonECMO cases, respectively. 5 patients were taken off ECMO intra-operatively; the other patients were weaned off ECMO within 48 hours post-operatively. 2 recipients experienced complications due to ECMO cannulation: a wound infection at the ECMO cannulation site and a compartment syndrome, both of which were treated successfully. 3-months survival was 100%. By 12 months post-transplantation, 1 patient in the ECMO group died due to multi-organ failure following initial primary graft dysfunction, and 1 patient in the nonECMO group died due to a fungal sepsis. Conclusions: Lung transplantation can be safely undertaken in children using ECMO. In experienced centers, the use of pre-transplantation ECMO may not generally be a survival disadvantage in children.