The Montreal Children’s Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a multidisciplinary unit recognized for its excellent patient outcomes. We provide comprehensive care for over 850 patients per year with complex diagnosis, such as cardiac and respiratory diseases, trauma, burns, cancer, and patients who need post-operative care after complex airway, spine, cardiac and neurosurgery.
As leaders in the care of complex patients, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the Montreal Children’s Hospital offers many specialized programs:
Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS)
The Montreal Children's Hospital is the only provincial referral centre for neonatal respiratory ECMO. While the majority of ECLS care is provided to newborns, we provide support for children of all ages with lung or cardiac failure. The Program is a member of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO), a world-wide consortium of healthcare centres that report their ECLS data to a central registry.
Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT)
A team of nurses receive specialized ongoing education to administer Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy.
Advanced modes of ventilation
The PICU offers advanced modes of ventilation such as high frequency oscillatory ventilation and high frequency jet ventilation.
Trauma Program
Each year, more than 16,000 children and teens from throughout Quebec are treated at the MCH Emergency Department for trauma-related injuries. Upwards of 400 of these patients sustain injuries that are serious enough to require hospitalization. On an annual basis, the MCH receives approximately 150 trauma patients from regional centres throughout the province who are in need of tertiary trauma expertise.
Organ and Tissue Donation
At the Montreal Children’s Hospital, organs and tissues can be donated following a diagnosis of neurological death. In addition, tissues can be donated following a cardiac death.
Our service understands that the death of a child is a traumatic event for parents. Whether or not a family chooses to donate, our team offers bereavement support and resources to help cope with the death. We take time to explain the donation process, encourage questions, and provide time to ensure the choice that best reflects family values and beliefs. The Organ and Tissue Donation team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be reached at (514) 412-4400, x 36590.