Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a temporary mechanical support system that handles the function of the heart and/or lungs in patients with a variety of cardiac and respiratory problems. ECMO uses a pump that attaches with tubes to large blood vessels in the neck or groin. It is most commonly used for patients recovering from heart surgery or suffering from cardiac shock, awaiting a heart or lung transplant or heart-assistance device, or battling respiratory conditions such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome). The system also has proven effective among those with respiratory failure associated with trauma, poisoning, post-surgical complications, and pregnancy. Risks include bleeding, blood clots, infection, and other potential problems; however, many adults and children who need ECMO likely would die if the system was not used. Though ECMO isn’t new, it saw dramatic increases in usage and positive outcomes following the 2009 worldwide flu outbreak, when ECMO’s benefits became evident in cases where traditional mechanical oxygen support failed.
Why UAB
UAB Medicine’s extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program was started more than 20 years ago and is the only one in the state of Alabama. In 2016, UAB received the Gold Level Award for Excellence for its use of ECMO from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO). The award recognizes ECMO programs worldwide that distinguish themselves by establishing processes, procedures, and systems to promote excellence and exceptional care using ECMO and have achieved the highest levels of performance, innovation, satisfaction, and quality. Through its relationship with ELSO, UAB is part of a global alliance of ECMO centers.
UAB’s ECMO program supports 80-100 adult patients per year and another 40-50 pediatric patients at Children’s of Alabama, making it one of the busiest ECMO centers in the nation. It has the capacity to support multiple patients in a dedicated section of the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, with 24/7 support from an ECMO specialist and access to pulmonologists, cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, nurses trained in ECMO, and other health care professionals dedicated to patients in need of ECMO support. UAB serves as a regional referral center capable of providing technical services and consultations related to ECMO, and the program is involved in advanced research initiatives focused on therapies to support failing organ systems.
Images and Videos
ECMO - Saving a Mother's Life
Allison Morgan was within hours of death and experiencing multi-organ failure, when she was rushed to UAB by helicopter. ECMO technology allowed her organs to rest and recover, enabling her to attend her daughter's 4th birthday party just days after her release from the hospital.
Related Conditions
This procedure may be used to treat or diagnose several different conditions. We have listed some of these conditions below for your convenience. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list and may vary depending on your specific diagnosis.
Related Treatments
Depending on your case and your physician’s assessment, your condition may be treated using one or more various procedures. Some of those procedures are listed below for your convenience. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list and may vary depending on your specific diagnosis.
CLINICAL TRIALS
UAB is an active participant in research and clinical trials for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. We encourage you to speak to your physician about research and clinical trial options and browse the link below for more information on clinical trials at clinicaltrials.gov.
View Clinical TrialsMore from UAB
Around the Web
uabmedicine.org
uabmedicine.org
Pulmonary Services
uabmedicine.org
Heart and Vascular
uabmedicine.org
National Institutes of Health
nih.gov
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UPCOMING CLASSES AND EVENTS
- Genome: Unlocking Life's Code
Do you have your mother’s dimples? Or your father’s hairline? What makes us, us? And how much of it actually sets us apart from every other living thing on Earth?
Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code begins to unravel the mystery behind the complete set of instructions needed for every living thing on Earth to grow and function: the genome. Discover how your genome could be the key to maximizing your future quality of life as genomic science helps open the way to more personalized healthcare. See yourself in a new way: as an individual, as a member of a family, and as part of the diversity of life on Earth.
Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code opens January 19 at McWane Science Center and was made possible in part by financial support secured by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. The exhibit is sponsored by UAB Medicine, which is using its knowledge of the human genome to advance the field of precision medicine, an exciting approach to health care that combines the absolute latest in the prediction and prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease to deliver truly individualized patient care.