We performed a specialist ECMO transfer from Bloemfontein to Johannesburg last night, assisted by respected Bloemfontein cardio thoracic specialist, Dr Johan Jordaan.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, is a life-saving therapy that adds oxygen to the patient’s blood and pumps it through their body like the heart. The process takes place outside the body.
ECMO is like a heart-lung machine used in surgery, and it can be used for longer periods of time.
ECMO is used when usual treatments are not working. ECMO does not cure heart or lung disease, it only provides time for the patient’s heart or lungs to heal.
Because ECMO also helps to do the work of a patient’s lungs, it enables health care personnel to lower the settings of a ventilator, allowing the lungs to rest and heal.
Usually, medications that have been used to help the heart and lungs function, can be decreased while ECMO is at work.
Aerocare has successfully executed many of these specialised ECMO transfers, and last night was no exception with the patient handed over at Grand Central Airport in a stable condition.
