Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Retrieval Service
When a heart patient's condition deteriorates, he/she may require ECMO support before and after surgery. To assist such a patient, NUHCS established the ECMO Retrieval Service in 2000 and extended it to other institutions by forming the ECMO Retrieval Team in 2016. The service provides the transfer of patients from other hospitals.
For the ECMO Retrieval (out of NUHCS) Service, the team will bring the equipments required for initiation of ECMO, namely – ECMO machine (Cardiohelp, Medos or Levitronix) Cannulae, Surgical Instruments/Consumables. Once the patient is put on ECMO, he/she will be transferred to NUH via the ambulance with medical staff and perfusionists.
At present, there is one ECMO Retrieval Team member scheduled to be on-call daily and this person is tasked to gather the team and respond to all requests for initiation of ECMO both within and outside NUHCS. A ECMO retrieval team comprises of one Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS) Surgeon, one Registrar and two Perfusionists.
The service is offered to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Institution of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is indicated in critically ill patients with respiratory or cardio/cardio-respiratory failure and is used for bridge to recovery and possibly for bridge to destination therapy.
VENO-VENO (V-V) ECMO is indicated in patients with respiratory failure and VENO-ARTERIAL (V-A) ECMO is indicated in patients with Cardio/Cardio-Respiratory failure.
Adj Prof Graeme MacLaren
Director, ECMO Programme
Director of Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Division and Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery
National University Heart Centre, Singapore
Dr Jai Ajitchandra Sule
Surgical Lead, ECMO Programme
Consultant, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery
National University Heart Centre, Singapore
Adj A/Prof Ramanathan K.R.
Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery
National University Heart Centre, Singapore
Dr Chang Guohao
Consultant, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery
National University Heart Centre, Singapore
Dr Senthil Kumar Subbian
Consultant, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery
National University Heart Centre, Singapore
Dr Li Yue
Associate Consultant, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery
National University Heart Centre, Singapore
Dr Lowell Leow
Associate Consultant, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery
National University Heart Centre, Singapore
