ECMO: A Breakthrough in Critical Care
In the summer of 2024, Renown Health became the only hospital in northern Nevada to offer a comprehensive extracorporeal membrane oxygenation( ECMO) program.
“ ECMO IS A COMPLEX TOOL THAT CAN potentially save the lives of patients who otherwise have no options,” says Kimball Knackstedt, DO, co-medical director of the ECMO program at Renown Health.“ We can now treat patients with advanced cardiac and pulmonary disease who previously required
Kimball Knackstedt, DO transfer to larger centers in other states, lessening the burden of transfer logistics for those patients and their families.”
Who Can Benefit From ECMO? Currently, the focus of the Renown Health program is ECMO support as a bridge to recovery.
“ Top candidates for ECMO include patients who have serious cardiopulmonary diseases who will recover with time,” Dr. Knackstedt says.“ ECMO is not a therapeutic modality, but it buys time for the heart and lungs to recover with conventional treatment.”
Common conditions that may benefit from ECMO include:
• Adult respiratory distress syndrome
• Cardiogenic shock
• Heart attack
• Myocarditis
• Pulmonary embolism
• Respiratory failure
• Sepsis
• Smoke inhalation and burns
Anticoagulants are used to prevent clotting during ECMO, so patients with severe bleeding are not good candidates.
Bridge to Transplant In some situations, Renown Health may also provide ECMO to those with significant heart failure or respiratory failure who need stabilization prior to more durable therapies, such as heart transplant or left ventricular assist device implantation.
“ These patients can be aided by our services,” Dr. Knackstedt says.“ But they will still need to be evaluated at transplant centers.”
Renown Health is happy to help providers learn more about its ECMO program.
“ We want providers to know that Renown Health is here to help their patients suffering from significant cardiopulmonary diseases,” Dr. Knackstedt says.“ We encourage providers to reach out to our team with any questions regarding our services or to discuss any patients.”
To learn more about our ECMO program, please contact the Renown Operations and Transfer Center at 775-982-2210.
A TEAM EFFORT
Renown Health is one of fewer than 400 hospitals in entire U. S. with an ECMO program.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation( ECMO) serves as an external heart and lungs for severely ill patients. Renown Health provides an extensive multidisciplinary team to care for patients on ECMO, including:
• Cardiovascular surgeons
• Critical care intensivists
• Perfusionists
• Pharmacists
• Registered nurses
• Respiratory therapists
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