Nick Kanaan knows the medical system better than most people.
He lost two siblings to cystic fibrosis at a young age and the disease nearly cost him his life. But thanks to innovative technology and a team of health care professionals at 麻豆传媒映画General Hospital, Kanaan is breathing easier these days and chasing his young daughter around the playground.
鈥淚f it wasn鈥檛 for the team at VGH who stood by me in my darkest hour, I wouldn鈥檛 be here today,鈥� Kanaan said in a press release. 鈥淭hey placed me on ECMO, which was my bridge to a lung transplant.鈥�
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an advanced form of life support that pumps and oxygenates blood outside the body so a patient鈥檚 heart and lungs can rest.
VGH is the first Canadian hospital to achieve gold level status from the the (ELSO) for its ECMO program. The hospital received the award at the ESLO鈥檚 annual meeting in Austin, Texas.
鈥淭his recognition is a testament to the excellent health care professionals at 麻豆传媒映画General Hospital who bring teamwork and technology together to care for the most critically ill people in our province,鈥� said Health Minister Adrian Dix. 鈥淎s we can see with survivor Nick Kanaan, this technology is a lifeline for those with serious, life-altering conditions.鈥�
The hospital has nine ECMO machines. There are two types of ECMO 鈥� one is connected to a vein and an artery for patients with heart and lung problems, while the other is connected to one or more veins, usually near the heart, for patients with lung problems.
The ECMO team includes doctors, nurses, perfusionists, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, pharmacists, an extracorporeal life support specialist and dietitians.
To date, more than 130 patients at 麻豆传媒映画General Hospital have benefitted from ECMO. Many of them, like Kanaan, needed the machine to survive until suitable organs become available.
鈥淓CMO is game-changing,鈥� said Dr. Hussein Kanji, intensivist and co-director of the ECMO program at VGH. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 the expertise of our entire team that enables us to provide this gold standard of care. Ten years ago, we couldn鈥檛 keep people alive long enough to receive a transplant; now patients like Nick are on ECMO for extended periods, increasing their chances of survival.鈥�
