ECMO, a medical device that helps support the heart and lungs emergency rescuer

What is ECMO? Many people are familiar with it as an important medical device. to save the lives of critically ill patients such asheart attack But in addition, what else can the Ecmo machine do?

ECMO stands for the word Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, also known as Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) is classified asmedical equipmentused to save the lives of severely ill patients Especially patients with lung or heart problems, and today we will come to know.Echo machinetogether

What is ECMO?

ECMO machines are medical devices. Used to support the lung and heart function of patients who are in critical condition. with abnormal lung and heart function and unable to use medication or a ventilator to support the patient’s condition out of danger

The ecmo machine increases oxygen levels and decreases carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream from outside the body. Or simply described as an artificial lung and an artificial heart. by exchanging oxygen by bringing blood from the patient’s body through a pump and then purified through an artificial lung before adding oxygen and remove carbon dioxide to bring good blood back into the body Until causing the circulatory system of the patient to be out of crisis

Where are ECMO machines used?

Most of the patients eligible for ECMO use are critically ill patients as follows:

Patients with severe heart failure, such as cardiac arrest from acute myocardial ischemia.
Patients with severe respiratory failure, such as pulmonary embolism makes the lungs unable to function normally
Patients with congestive heart failure and respiratory failure, such as those with COVID-19 who are in critical condition.
Patients who are in critical condition while being resuscitated with CPR or defibrillation.

ECMO machine
How does it work?

There are three operating mechanisms of ECMO machines, which are used differently, namely:

1. Veno-Arterial (VA)

It is a device that sucks blood from the major veins, such as from the neck in young children. or legs in older children and adults come through an artificial lung machine to increase oxygen and help exchange carbon dioxide back into the upper or lower aorta This is used in patients with severe heart failure. or have both lung and heart failure

2. Veno-Venous (VV)

The machine will suck blood from the large veins through an artificial lung. And into the main vein again, used for cases of severe respiratory failure

3. Arterial-Venous (AV)

It is the use of pressure from the arterial side without the use of a pulmonary traction machine. Used for moderately severe respiratory failure.

ECMO machine
Are there any restrictions on use?

Although ECMO is a medical device used to save the lives of critically ill patients. But it can’t be used with patients in all cases. But there are still some precautions in use. especially with patients with certain co-factors such as

terminal cancer patients
Patients who use mechanical ventilation for a long time
Patients with aortic valve leakage (Aortic Regurgitation)
Patients with aortic rupture (Aortic Dissection)

side effects
from using ECMO

Using an ECMO machine saves a patient’s life. may be at risk of encountering these side effects

risk of bleeding in the brain Because the drug must be given to prevent blood clotting in the blood vessels.
There may be an infection in the wound where the blood tube is inserted.
problems with blood supply which depends on the individual patient’s body
Blood clots or air bubbles form in the arterial tubes, in the heart cavity, or in the artificial lungs.
If there is a blood clot in the left ventricle of the heart may be at risk of stroke or stroke
Impaired renal function may be found.
Lack of blood supply to the legs (in some patients)
hemolysis
thrombocytopenia

However, patients who need to use ECMO must be under close supervision of doctors and nurses 24 hours a day. Because the purpose of using this medical device is to support the patient’s condition to survive and return to life as normally as possible