Sometimes known as a heart lung machine, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) gives your lungs and, for some, your heart time to heal. It can provide a bridge to longer-term therapy such as a heart transplant or mechanical support, such as a ventricular assist device.

ECMO is a temporary form of life support. It uses a machine outside the body to pump and oxygenate blood. Norton Children’s Heart Institute also uses ECMO to support pediatric patients.

ECMO helps:

• Support patients with severe respiratory failure who are not improving on a ventilator.
• Provide emergency support for patients in cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest.
• Bridge patients to recovery, transplant, or longer-term mechanical support.

Types of ECMO Treatment

• Venovenous (VV ECMO) for lung support. In this configuration, the ECMO machine takes blood from a vein and passes it through a cannula (reinforced tube), oxygenates and removes carbon dioxide, then returns it to a vein for circulation. This approach is used to treat respiratory failure when there isn’t significant heart failure. This includes conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, severe pneumonia or severe hypoxemia (low oxygen levels).
• Venoarterial (VA ECMO) for heart and lung support. With this ECMO circuit, the ECMO machine takes blood from a vein, oxygenates it and pumps it into an artery to the rest of the body — providing pulmonary and cardiac support. VA ECMO is used to treat a wide range of severe heart conditions, including heart failure.

A Team Approach to Critical Care

Norton Heart & Vascular Institute’s highly trained ECMO team is available 24/7 to respond quickly when conventional treatments are no longer enough.

Team members focus on providing safe, effective care while supporting patients and families through every step of the journey. The team includes:

• Interventional cardiologists
• Cardiothoracic surgeons
• Advanced heart failure specialists
• Pulmonologists
• Perfusionists
• ECMO coordinators
• ECMO specialists
• Critical care nurses
• Respiratory therapists
• Cardiac catheterization lab team members 
• Pharmacists, physical therapists, social workers, pastoral care staff, imaging services staff and occupational therapists 

What to Expect During ECMO Therapy

We know ECMO can feel overwhelming. That’s why we focus on clear communication and compassionate support:

1. Evaluation: Our team rapidly assesses whether ECMO is the right option.
2. Cannulation and stabilization: A highly trained team begins ECMO quickly, while keeping families informed.
3. Daily management: Patients are monitored closely, with input from multiple specialists.
4. Transition: – As patients improve, we reduce ECMO support and plan for recovery or next steps.

Family members are encouraged to ask questions and access support resources throughout the process.

Heart Failure Care Designed for Heart Recovery

• Same-day appointments are available for new patients at locations in downtown Louisville and on the campuses of Norton Audubon Hospital and Norton Brownsboro Hospital.
• Our compassionate and dedicated team includes specially trained heart failure cardiologists and advanced practice providers, a social worker, nurse navigators and dedicated pharmacist to help create a custom plan for care and make sure you and your family’s questions are answered at every step.
• When diagnosed promptly, more than 50% of patients with heart failure that wasn’t caused by heart attacks or blockages are cured, compared with about 10% nationally.
• Our program has advanced heart failure monitoring technology to detect signs of a weakening heart before you feel symptoms, with a goal of preventing hospital stays.
• We are a DNV-accredited provider of ventricular assist devices and are recognized as High Performing in Heart Failure by U.S. News & World Report.
• Our advanced care for severe heart failure includes ventricular assist device implants, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support to give your heart a rest and time to heal, and access to heart transplants with ongoing aftercare.
• Medicare, Medicaid and most major commercial insurance plans are accepted.
• Book appointments, get alerts when an earlier appointment becomes available, communicate with your medical provider, refill prescriptions and more through your free Norton MyChart account.