Colombia is home to one of the best hospitals in Latin America in ECMO management.
In Bucaramanga, Colombia, lies the Cardiovascular Institute of the Hospital Internacional de Colombia (HIC), the hospital with the largest ECMO Unit in Latin America. It has the capacity to care for 25 patients simultaneously, including adults, pediatric, and neonatal cases.
- Recognized by ELSO as the best Latin American hospital in ECMO management, it received the highest distinction in 2021: the Platinum level Center of Excellence.
- The hospital operates its own air ambulance for the transfer of critical patients requiring ECMO management, providing both national and international services.
- Though ECMO therapy gained recognition in Colombia for its use in critical COVID-19 patients, its applications are broader. Since 2006, over 1,000 patients have been treated.
Bucaramanga, March 2024, . Although ECMO therapy's impact extends beyond COVID-19 treatment. It has proven effective for patients with critical respiratory and cardiac diseases unresponsive to conventional treatments, as well as for organ preservation in brain-dead donors.
Dr. Leonardo Salazar Rojas, Director of the ECMO and Artificial Heart Program at HIC Cardiovascular Institute, states that patients requiring therapy include those with severe cardiac failure, pneumonia, infections, or life-threatening lung inflammation.
This achievement reflects the efforts of a multidisciplinary team focused on using technology for life-saving purposes for over 15 years. Furthermore, they have led educational initiatives to expand coverage and reach more individuals.
A Journey of Hope for Ricardo
Cristina Coronel, Ricardo's mother, recounts her experience when her one-and-a-half-month-old baby faced respiratory problems in Ecuador. Despite no signs of improvement, ECMO therapy was deemed the only option. Dr. Angélica Ortiz Córdoba, Pediatric Intensivist at HIC Cardiovascular Institute, explains that Ricardo was transferred from Guayaquil to the ECMO Unit in Bucaramanga due to a respiratory syncytial virus. After five days of therapy and multidisciplinary rehabilitation, he was able to return home without oxygen support.
Ricardo's story mirrors those of countless patients, locally and internationally, who found hope for health and improved quality of life in Bucaramanga, home to the best ECMO management hospital in Latin America.
How Does ECMO Work?
ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy) functions as an artificial lung or heart, oxygenating and circulating blood outside the body to aid recovery. It replaces vital functions and facilitates organ recovery through a machine connected to the patient via rubber cannulas inserted into a vein or artery.