ECMO

ECMO (pronounced EK-mo) stands for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. It’s a treatment that helps your heart and lungs when they are too sick to do their job. ECMO uses a machine and a pump to move blood out of your body, through the machine and then back into your bloodstream. The machine helps oxygenate your blood and supports your body, just like your heart and lungs would.

ECMO doesn’t heal you, but it gives your body time to rest and recover. It can be used for a short time, like a few days, or even for weeks, depending on how much time your body needs to heal.

When you need extra support to breathe, Willis Knighton offers multiple types of ECMO: Veno-Arterial (VA), Veno-Venous (VV) or Hybrid ECMO.

The ECMO team decides which type best assists your condition.

• Veno-Arterial (VA) ECMO is used for heart support only.
• Veno-Venous (VV) ECMO is used for lung support only.
• Hybrid ECMO is a combination of VA and VV ECMO for patients who need both cardiac and respiratory support.

If you have heart or lung failure, ECMO provides the support your body needs.

ECMO helps keep your blood flowing and oxygenated, so your body gets the oxygen it needs while your heart and/or lungs have time to heal.

ECMO can assist with:

• Heart failure, such as cardiogenic shock or cardiomyopathy (heart muscle weakness)
• Lung failure caused by pneumonia, asthma, flu, COVID-19 or ARDS
• Complications or support related to organ transplant
• Infections that cause organs to shut down, such as sepsis
• Pulmonary embolism

If you’re too sick to be moved with regular life support equipment, our mobile ECMO team can help. They’ll start ECMO treatment at your current location and then transport you to Willis Knighton for continued care. Our ambulances are specially equipped to support ECMO, and if needed, we can also use a helicopter or airplane to transport you safely.

Please click on the providers name for additional information. 

• Chris Trosclair, MD, Critical Care, ECMO Medical Director
• Gwen Cole, ECMO Program Coordinator
• Cory Markham, MD, Critical Care
• Ahmed Virani, MD, Critical Care
• Boshra Louka, MD, Cardiologist
• Curtis Prejean, MD, Cardiovascular Surgery, founder of the WK ECMO program in 2014 
• Syed Mehmood, MD, Cardiovascular Surgery

ELSO provides resources and community for those that are, or have been, impacted by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and related technologies and services. 

View the ELSO Patient & Family Support Resources site