Paediatric & adult patients who have acute respiratory failure are treated at our centre with ECMO machine, which works like a temporary, artificial lung. Our ECMO team can move anywhere, anytime for emergency treatment at a hospital or provide transportation of the patient to any centre via ambulance or aircraft.

We also provide 24X7 Critical Care Consultation at 9930327540 for immediate assistance. We are paediatric & adult ECMO and transplant unit.

ECMO Services

ECMO Treatment
As a specialized cardiothoracic centre, Masina Heart Institute has been providing specialist ECMO services for a number of years. We are renowned for our experience using ECMO for either cardiac or respiratory support.

Transport Service
In addition to providing ECMO on site, Masina Heart Institute has developed a retrieval service to secure the rapid and safe transfer of patients between referring hospital and the ECMO centres.

Our ECMO Team

Referral Information

To refer a patient to Masina Heart Institute’s ECMO service, please use the online ECMO referral form available here (word file, pdf file). Contact and WhatsApp on this number 9930327540 (Dr. Amish Vora). If your referral is an emergency and you need to contact us after sending your online referral form please call us on 9930327540.

Know More About ECMO

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) in this modern medical era is termed as a miracle machine, it is also rightly referred as extracorporeal life support (ECLS).

Through this ECMO system, cardiac and respiratory support is provided to person suffering from cardiac and respiratory issues, whose heart & lungs are not functioning optimally or is unable to provide an adequate amount of gas exchange to sustain or support life.

The technology for ECMO is inspired or largely devised from cardiopulmonary bypass technique, in which a machine temporarily takes over the function of heart and lungs, it provides shorter-term support with arrested native circulation. This device used is a membrane oxygenator, also known as an artificial lung. The ECMO machine is controlled by a person called a perfusionist or ECMO specialist.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine or system works by temporarily drawing blood from the body then it allows artificial oxygenation of the red blood cells and removal of carbon dioxide. Most of the time, ECMO is used either post-cardiopulmonary bypass or in late-stage treatment of a person with intense heart and or lung failure issues, but now a days, it is also seen and is used as a treatment for cardiac arrest in certain centres, allowing treatment of the underlying cause of arrest while circulation and oxygenation are supported.

ECMO is also used to support and treat patients with the serious virus infections associated with Corona or Covid 19 – wherein artificial ventilation is not sufficient for a person to sustain blood oxygenation levels.

What are the types of ECMO?

There are several forms of ECMO; the two most common models used in the medical field are veno-arterial (VA) ECMO and veno-venous (VV) ECMO.

In both cases of ECMO, blood drained from the venous system is oxygenated outside of the body, but the difference between the two is that in VA ECMO, this blood is returned to the arterial system and in VV ECMO the blood is returned to the venous system. Also in VV ECMO model, no cardiac support is provided. Selection of the type of ECMO depends on case to case or person to person.

What are the benefits of ECMO?

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) functions as an artificial heart and lung, and thus, gives rest or recovery time to treat the massive heart attack and severely infected lungs. ECMO therapy will also benefit patients with heart and lung diseases which cannot be cured while they are waiting for the transplant.

When is ECMO needed?

ECMO is needed or used when the patient is suffering from a life-threatening diseases like severe heart failure, cardiorespiratory failure (reversible) severe lung infection. ECMO is used when all other medical therapy have failed to show significant improvement. Once indicated, sooner the patient is put on ECMO the better is the prognosis.

Is ECMO safe?

The circuits and devices used for ECMO procedure have changed over the years and now safer & long lasting material are being used which prevent frequent change of circuits.

This was a common problem in the initial years of ECMO technique, in the past due to complications, such as bleeding and increased need of blood products this problems occurred, but now it is been minimised to a great deal and the implementation of ECMO is also now much safer due to availability of skilled and well-trained hands, thus procedure-related complications are reduced making it safer in today’s time.

What happens during ECMO?

Depending on your age and severity of the problem, surgeons or ECMO specialist will place and secure the cannula in your body through the neck, groin, or chest while you are under sedation through general anaesthesia. You will usually remain sedated while you are on ECMO.

In the course of the treatment ECMO takes over the function of the heart or lungs. Doctors will perform close monitoring during ECMO by daily monitoring of heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen level, blood pressure. A breathing tube and ventilator keep the lungs working and help remove secretions.

Is ECMO suitable to all?

The usage of ECMO will be decided by the attending doctor after evaluation of all the medical procedures. It differs from case to case basis. It cannot be performed on person who has undergone brain surgery. It can be expensive for some.

Why ECMO at Masina Heart Institute?

ECMO is a miracle medical procedure, but its optimum result depends on the efforts of the team. At Masina Heart Institute we have a multi-disciplinary team comprising of renowned heart surgeon and cardiologist at the helm & experienced and well equipped support staff, who are experienced in handling critical cases of heart failure and lung infection.

Total combined experience of all the staff of Masina Heart Institute makes it a leading centre in the city for ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) retrieval services, wherein our team is able to reach out to any critical ill patient across the city and use ECMO to transport, stabilize and treat.

ECMO Team at Masina Heart Institute

Masina Heart Institute’s multidisciplinary ECMO team comprises of Cardiac Surgeon, Cardiologist, ECMO specialist, Cardiac Anaesthetist, Perfusionist, Intensivist, Cardiac Nurses & Support Staff.