By: Pranaya Sripathi
ECMO! - Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, also known as extracorporeal life support, is an extracorporeal technique of providing prolonged cardiac and respiratory support to persons whose heart and lungs are unable to provide an adequate amount of gas exchange or perfusion to sustain life.
For an adult suffering from a medical cardiac arrest, the chance of a neurologically intact outcome after 20 minutes of resuscitation is essentially zero. As a result, some hospitals have begun to incorporate extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) into cardiac arrest resuscitation. Tested in a few areas, the viability of in-field ECMO is being determined as we speak. Hopes are high as the usage of ECMO in field could be a game changer in the medical procedures of EMS personnelle.
By utilizing a specialized team of individuals, the EMS world may see a drastic change in how they respond to cardiac arrests. This team can utilize and apply ECMO in-field to patients, and thus keep them alive throughout transport and arrival at a hospital where more adequate care can be given.