Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenator (ECMO) to Coimbatore Government Hospital
Coimbatore: Rotary clubs are involved in service projects in many modules. Covid-19 has pushed the need for ECMO (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenator) machines.
People who need ECMO would have a severe and life threatening illness that stops their heart or lungs from working properly. ECMO is extra lung support. Need for an ECMO machine was discussed in early February2021 with Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.
They said the reason to select Government run Coimbatore Medical College Hospital is to ensure free high quality medical service to reach the public. This is the first time in a general hospital this facility was installed for the welfare of the public. This machine is worth Rs. 30,00,000 and it is a joint project donation by The Rotary Foundation and Rotary club of Coimbatore Uptown (District 3201), Rotary club of Greencity (District 3201), Rotary club of Delite (District 3201).
Rtn.S Ramesh, Rtn.K. Jayakrishnan, Rtn.Fredricks John, Rtn.Rajendra Tarawat were involved in the project. Dr Nirmala, (Dean, Coimbatore Medical College Hospital), Dr. Swaminathan K (HOD of medicineCoimbatore Medical College Hospital) received the machine and thanked the Rotary clubs. ECMO is an artificial heart- lung machine which temporarily works as a pump and an oxygenation machine through a process of diffusion of oxygen through osmotic membrane inside the kit incorporated in ECMO machine.
One tube connected on the venous side of the sick patient will take away blood from the venous side of the patient and after a process of membrane oxygenation inside the ECMO. After oxygenation isover, the oxygenated blood is delivered through another cannula to the patient's arterial side. Thus, it temporarily takes up a function of the lungs. Hence useful for all acute massive lung injury with less or no oxygenation. Like in covid & other pneumonia, toxic gas inhalation, poisoning etc.
It is also useful when both heart and lung needs temporary rest like during heart attack, recovery from heart failure, during prolonged cardiac Cath While taking up procedures during cardiac CathECMO is used as a stand by heart lung support systems. It is a very much user- friendly advanced ECMO that is going to be installed in the history of a government hospital in the west zone of tamilnadu for catering the life support needs of critically ill patients in this part of tamilnadu. This life support system is dedicated to CMCH hospital by the ROTARY international through rotary clubs of Coimbatore uptown, green city & D elite. -dist 3201z.