The goal of the procedure is to provide long-term artificial support for a patient's cardiopulmonary function. This technique is used on patients with very severe pathologies and who may need a heart transplant or extended support to allow the heart and lungs to rest. This technique may also be necessary after risky heart surgery when a patient's heart needs prolonged support to recover.
Placing a patient on ECMO (Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation) takes approximately 1 hour.
This procedure is generally done in emergency situations.
The procedure lasts approximately one hour and requires general anesthesia. To place a patient on ECMO, tubes are inserted into vessels in the chest or right or left groin. After the procedure, patients must stay in intensive care for an extended period (depending on the patient's specific pathology).
Follow-up will depend on the patient's condition over time and the care team's planned treatment. Visits to intensive care are limited to one person for 5 minutes on the day of the surgery and for 15 minutes on the hour starting from 11:00 a.m. the next day. After this period and once the patient has returned to the Surgical Unit, the patient can have visitors during normal visiting hours.
Specific follow-up is based on the patient's definitive treatment.