The ECMO program and experienced care teams at Ascension St. Vincent in Indianapolis deliver advanced care for patients who have life-threatening lung and heart conditions, including severe heart and respiratory failure, and who are critically ill. And at Ascension St. Vincent, we provide care for more hearts than any other health system in Indiana. You have an entire team dedicated to your heart care. Your doctor may recommend extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy for you or a loved one when other therapies are not working. ECMO allows your lungs and heart to rest while they’re recovering from illness or injury. ECMO may also be used for patients waiting for a heart or lung transplant. This therapy maintains blood flow and oxygen to vital organs, like the brain, kidneys and liver.
Heart care teams specializing in ECMO
At Ascension St. Vincent, our ECMO-trained specialists deliver advanced care for complex heart and lung conditions. Your ECMO care team may include cardiovascular surgeons, intensive care doctors, intensive care nurses, respiratory therapists, hospitalists, perfusionists, and more, caring for:
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome
- Bacterial pneumonia or viral infection
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Lung failure
- Post cardiotomy and cardiogenic shock
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Ruptured lung
- Traumatic lung and heart injuries
Transfer your patient to an ECMO specialist
Early consultation with an ECMO specialist can help you know when to refer your patient to an ECMO program. Your patients can expect compassionate, personalized care from the moment our specialists connect with them. A transfer may be recommended for patients who have received appropriate medical management and meets one or more of the following:
SBP < 90mmHg or vasopressor support to maintain SBP > 90mmHg
Evidence of end-organ damage (UO < 30ml/hr or cool extremities)
Hemodynamic criteria: CI < 2.2 and PCWP > 15mmHg
PaO2:FiO2 < 80mmHg for > 6 hours
PaO2:FiO2 < 50mmHg for > 3 hours
pH < 7.25 with PaCO2 ≥ 60mmHg for > 6 hours
Our ECMO specialists start by listening to fully understand their needs and to develop an individualized care plan. For more information, please call 317-338-5000.
Frequently asked questions
