Cardiac Support

Our Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) Service offers veno-arterial life support for patients whose hearts are not adequately supporting circulation or who have suffered cardiac arrest. It is vital to ensure cardiopulmonary support as early as possible to prevent organ damage.  

Using Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), blood is removed from the right atrium or a femoral vein and returned to the aorta or a femoral artery after oxygenation.

Some of the blood bypasses the heart in a parallel circulatory system, thus relieving stress on the heart muscle.

This form of ECMO treatment may be considered for a variety of critical illnesses, including:

• septic shock
• pancreatitis
• heart failure
• overdose
• peri-partum complications