ECMO

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is also known as extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is used to treat patients suffering from severe lung damage or have acute pneumonia or those patients whose blood oxygen level cannot be put to check through the use of ventilators. In recent news, the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic has seen a rise in the usage of ECMO to treat serious COVID-19 affected patients.

Q1. How does ECMO work?

An artery is inserted into the patient either through the neck, chest or groin area of the patient. Through this tube the patient’s blood flows out into an oxygenator that works as an artificial lung to remove carbon dioxide from the blood and adds oxygen to it. After that a pump is used to send the blood back in the body of the patient matching the frequency and the force of the patients heart.

Q2. Who needs ECMO treatment?

ECMO treatment is provided to those patients whose lungs have been severely damaged and is used as a last ditch method after all medical options have been exhausted.

Q3. What is the usage of ECMO in Covid patients?

ECMO is being used to treat all those patients who are in a critical condition from suffering from Covid and ventilation treatment is not working on them. A Covid patient can be kept on ECMO support for 10 to 12 days and once they are off the ECMO they are placed in isolation in the cardiovascular intensive care unit of the hospital.

Q4. Is there any risk involved in ECMO treatment?

While on ECMO, patients sometimes don’t get enough blood to their kidneys and cause the kidney to stop working (renal failure). Also since, the blood comes out of the body to get oxygenated; the patients can become vulnerable to germs entering the body.